Cost to Own
United States › North Carolina › Dare County › Kitty Hawk Population 3,721 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-10-29
The part nobody budgets Even with the mortgage fully paid off, the median home here still costs $1,033 a month in taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. See the full Dare County picture

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

A $494,000 home here costs

$3,726

per 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 $159,500 a year.

P&I 72%Tax 6%Insurance 5%Utilities 6%Upkeep 11%

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,693. The real number is $1,033 higher every month, 38% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Compare Dare County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown

Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Kitty Hawk from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 3,721 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Dare County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.

Kitty Hawk median: $494,200
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
NC average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $395,200 borrowed $2,693
Property tax0.540% effective rate for Kitty Hawk itself $222
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $179
Electricity14.95ยข/kWh, North Carolina residential average, EIA $152
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $412
Total monthly $3,726

Kitty Hawk against Dare County and North Carolina

MeasureKitty HawkDare County
Median home value$494,200$425,400
Median property tax$2,670$2,245
Effective tax rate0.540%0.528%
Median gross rent$1,366$1,307
Population3,72137,534

The weather behind that power bill

Kitty Hawk sits in Dare County, which averages a high of 85.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.6°F in its coldest, with 46.55" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,705 cooling and 2,891 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Dare County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Dare County

Full Dare County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Talk to someone who works this market

These are Kitty Hawk 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 Kitty Hawk every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.

I'm looking to buy in Kitty Hawk I already own here and may sell

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Kitty Hawk?

A $494,000 home in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina costs approximately $3,726 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,693 principal and interest, $222 property tax, $179 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $412 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Kitty Hawk?

Kitty Hawk has an effective property tax rate of 0.540%, based on a median home value of $494,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,670. That is higher than the Dare County average of 0.528%.

What is the average home price in Kitty Hawk?

The median owner-occupied home value in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina is $494,200, against $425,400 across Dare County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kitty Hawk?

Median gross rent in Kitty Hawk is $1,366 a month, against $3,726 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 Kitty Hawk?

Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $159,500 a year. That covers the full $3,726 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Kitty Hawk, 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.

Full methodology