Cost to Own
United States › North Carolina › Pender County › Rocky Point Population 1,045 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 $460 a month in taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. See the full Pender County picture

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Rocky Point, North Carolina

A $116,000 home here costs

$1,093

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 $47,000 a year.

P&I 58%Tax 9%Insurance 4%Utilities 20%Upkeep 9%

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $632. The real number is $460 higher every month, 73% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Compare Pender County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown

Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Rocky Point from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,045 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 Pender County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.

Rocky Point median: $115,500
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, $92,800 borrowed $632
Property tax1.052% effective rate for Rocky Point itself $102
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $42
Electricity14.95ยข/kWh, North Carolina residential average, EIA $152
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $97
Total monthly $1,093

Rocky Point against Pender County and North Carolina

MeasureRocky PointPender County
Median home value$115,500$267,100
Median property tax$1,215$1,858
Effective tax rate1.052%0.696%
Median gross rent$681$1,072
Population1,04563,475

The weather behind that power bill

Rocky Point sits in Pender County, which averages a high of 90.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 36.3°F in its coldest, with 60.15" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,133 cooling and 2,326 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Pender County

Full Pender County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Talk to someone who works this market

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

I'm looking to buy in Rocky Point I already own here and may sell

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Rocky Point?

A $116,000 home in Rocky Point, North Carolina costs approximately $1,093 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $632 principal and interest, $102 property tax, $42 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $97 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Rocky Point?

Rocky Point has an effective property tax rate of 1.052%, based on a median home value of $115,500 and median real estate taxes of $1,215. That is higher than the Pender County average of 0.696%.

What is the average home price in Rocky Point?

The median owner-occupied home value in Rocky Point, North Carolina is $115,500, against $267,100 across Pender County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rocky Point?

Median gross rent in Rocky Point is $681 a month, against $1,093 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 Rocky Point?

Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Rocky Point, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $47,000 a year. That covers the full $1,093 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Rocky Point, 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