Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. Stephens, North Carolina
A $188,000 home here costs
$1,550per 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 $66,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,025. The real number is $525 higher every month, 51% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Catawba County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
St. Stephens against Catawba County and North Carolina
| Measure | St. Stephens | Catawba County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $187,500 | $218,100 |
| Median property tax | $968 | $1,319 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.516% | 0.605% |
| Median gross rent | $864 | $891 |
| Population | 9,409 | 162,051 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. Stephens sits in Catawba County, which averages a high of 88.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.3°F in its coldest, with 46.62" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,556 cooling and 3,297 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Catawba County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Catawba County
Full Catawba County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are St. Stephens 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 St. Stephens every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in St. Stephens I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. Stephens?
A $188,000 home in St. Stephens, North Carolina costs approximately $1,550 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,025 principal and interest, $81 property tax, $68 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $157 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. Stephens?
St. Stephens has an effective property tax rate of 0.516%, based on a median home value of $187,500 and median real estate taxes of $968. That is lower than the Catawba County average of 0.605%.
What is the average home price in St. Stephens?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. Stephens, North Carolina is $187,500, against $218,100 across Catawba County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Stephens?
Median gross rent in St. Stephens is $864 a month, against $1,550 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 St. Stephens?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in St. Stephens, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $66,500 a year. That covers the full $1,550 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for St. Stephens, 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.