Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Sunset Beach, North Carolina
A $354,000 home here costs
$2,738per 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 $117,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,930. The real number is $808 higher every month, 42% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Brunswick County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Sunset Beach from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 4,326 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 Brunswick County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Sunset Beach against Brunswick County and North Carolina
| Measure | Sunset Beach | Brunswick County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $354,300 | $314,700 |
| Median property tax | $1,978 | $1,789 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.558% | 0.568% |
| Median gross rent | $541 | $1,267 |
| Population | 4,326 | 145,889 |
The weather behind that power bill
Sunset Beach sits in Brunswick County, which averages a high of 87.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 36.4°F in its coldest, with 56.53" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,865 cooling and 2,429 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Brunswick County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Brunswick County
Full Brunswick County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Sunset Beach 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 Sunset Beach every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Sunset Beach I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Sunset Beach?
A $354,000 home in Sunset Beach, North Carolina costs approximately $2,738 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,930 principal and interest, $165 property tax, $128 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $295 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Sunset Beach?
Sunset Beach has an effective property tax rate of 0.558%, based on a median home value of $354,300 and median real estate taxes of $1,978. That is in line with the Brunswick County average of 0.568%.
What is the average home price in Sunset Beach?
The median owner-occupied home value in Sunset Beach, North Carolina is $354,300, against $314,700 across Brunswick County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sunset Beach?
Median gross rent in Sunset Beach is $541 a month, against $2,738 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 Sunset Beach?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Sunset Beach, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $117,500 a year. That covers the full $2,738 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Sunset Beach, 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.