Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in James Island, South Carolina
A $454,000 home here costs
$3,295per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,334. The real number is $961 higher every month — 41% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
James Island against Charleston County and South Carolina
| Measure | James Island | Charleston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $454,200 | $450,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,813 | $1,864 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.399% | 0.413% |
| Median gross rent | $1,443 | $1,506 |
| Population | 11,738 | 414,711 |
The weather behind that power bill
James Island sits in Charleston County, which averages a high of 87.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 43.6°F in its coldest, with 44.26" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,448 cooling and 1,623 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Charleston County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Charleston County
Full Charleston County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in James Island?
A $454,000 home in James Island, South Carolina costs approximately $3,295 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,334 principal and interest, $151 property tax, $219 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $378 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in James Island?
James Island has an effective property tax rate of 0.399%, based on a median home value of $454,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,813. That is lower than the Charleston County average of 0.413%.
What is the average home price in James Island?
The median owner-occupied home value in James Island, South Carolina is $454,200, against $450,800 across Charleston County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in James Island?
Median gross rent in James Island is $1,443 a month, against $3,295 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for James Island — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for South Carolina.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.