Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Kinston, North Carolina
A $108,000 home here costs
$1,038per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $44,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $589. The real number is $449 higher every month, 76% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Lenoir County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Kinston against Lenoir County and North Carolina
| Measure | Kinston | Lenoir County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $108,300 | $111,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,201 | $985 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.109% | 0.884% |
| Median gross rent | $822 | $814 |
| Population | 19,576 | 54,917 |
The weather behind that power bill
Kinston sits in Lenoir County, which averages a high of 90.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.3°F in its coldest, with 52.86" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,014 cooling and 2,503 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Lenoir County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Lenoir County
Full Lenoir County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Kinston averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Kinston every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Kinston I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Kinston?
A $108,000 home in Kinston, North Carolina costs approximately $1,038 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $589 principal and interest, $100 property tax, $39 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $90 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Kinston?
Kinston has an effective property tax rate of 1.109%, based on a median home value of $108,300 and median real estate taxes of $1,201. That is higher than the Lenoir County average of 0.884%.
What is the average home price in Kinston?
The median owner-occupied home value in Kinston, North Carolina is $108,300, against $111,400 across Lenoir County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kinston?
Median gross rent in Kinston is $822 a month, against $1,038 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Kinston?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Kinston, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $44,500 a year. That covers the full $1,038 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Kinston, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for North 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.