Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. Stephen, South Carolina
A $131,000 home here costs
$1,109per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $673. The real number is $435 higher every month — 65% 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. Stephen against Berkeley County and South Carolina
| Measure | St. Stephen | Berkeley County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $131,400 | $280,300 |
| Median property tax | $595 | $1,343 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.453% | 0.479% |
| Median gross rent | $764 | $1,518 |
| Population | 1,460 | 238,723 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. Stephen sits in Berkeley County, which averages a high of 93.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 38.4°F in its coldest, with 52.32" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,473 cooling and 2,043 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Berkeley County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Berkeley County
Full Berkeley County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. Stephen?
A $131,000 home in St. Stephen, South Carolina costs approximately $1,109 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $673 principal and interest, $49 property tax, $63 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $109 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. Stephen?
St. Stephen has an effective property tax rate of 0.453%, based on a median home value of $131,400 and median real estate taxes of $595. That is lower than the Berkeley County average of 0.479%.
What is the average home price in St. Stephen?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. Stephen, South Carolina is $131,400, against $280,300 across Berkeley County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Stephen?
Median gross rent in St. Stephen is $764 a month, against $1,109 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. Stephen — 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.