Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. George, South Carolina
A $124,000 home here costs
$1,104per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $637. The real number is $466 higher every month — 73% 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.
St. George against Dorchester County and South Carolina
| Measure | St. George | Dorchester County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,200 | $294,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,077 | $1,710 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.867% | 0.581% |
| Median gross rent | $800 | $1,381 |
| Population | 1,935 | 164,322 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. George sits in Dorchester County, which averages a high of 90.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 34.5°F in its coldest, with 52.7" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,988 cooling and 2,385 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Dorchester County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Dorchester County
Full Dorchester County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. George?
A $124,000 home in St. George, South Carolina costs approximately $1,104 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $637 principal and interest, $90 property tax, $60 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $103 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. George?
St. George has an effective property tax rate of 0.867%, based on a median home value of $124,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,077. That is higher than the Dorchester County average of 0.581%.
What is the average home price in St. George?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. George, South Carolina is $124,200, against $294,400 across Dorchester County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. George?
Median gross rent in St. George is $800 a month, against $1,104 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 St. George — 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.