Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaWilkes CountyMulberry Population 2,134 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Mulberry, North Carolina

A $164,000 home here costs

$1,330

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $843. The real number is $487 higher every month — 58% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Mulberry median: $164,000
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US 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, $131,200 borrowed $843
Property tax0.638% effective rate for Mulberry itself $87
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $59
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $137
Total monthly $1,330

Mulberry against Wilkes County and North Carolina

MeasureMulberryWilkes County
Median home value$164,000$161,400
Median property tax$1,047$1,003
Effective tax rate0.638%0.621%
Median gross rent$608$715
Population2,13465,983

The weather behind that power bill

Mulberry sits in Wilkes County, which averages a high of 86.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 27.0°F in its coldest, with 51.7" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,201 cooling and 4,000 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Wilkes County

Full Wilkes County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Mulberry?

A $164,000 home in Mulberry, North Carolina costs approximately $1,330 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $843 principal and interest, $87 property tax, $59 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $137 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Mulberry?

Mulberry has an effective property tax rate of 0.638%, based on a median home value of $164,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,047. That is higher than the Wilkes County average of 0.621%.

What is the average home price in Mulberry?

The median owner-occupied home value in Mulberry, North Carolina is $164,000, against $161,400 across Wilkes County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Mulberry?

Median gross rent in Mulberry is $608 a month, against $1,330 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 Mulberry — 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