Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Surf City, North Carolina
A $479,000 home here costs
$3,729per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $160,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,653. The real number is $1,076 higher every month, 41% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Onslow County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Surf City from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 4,160 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 Onslow 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.
Surf City against Onslow County and North Carolina
| Measure | Surf City | Onslow County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $478,600 | $219,500 |
| Median property tax | $3,372 | $1,431 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.705% | 0.652% |
| Median gross rent | $1,421 | $1,198 |
| Population | 4,160 | 208,537 |
Surf City extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Onslow County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Surf City sits in Onslow County, which averages a high of 89.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.2°F in its coldest, with 56.51" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,022 cooling and 2,497 heating degree days, which is what sets the $154 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Onslow County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Onslow County
Full Onslow County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Surf City 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 Surf City every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Surf City I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Surf City?
A $479,000 home in Surf City, North Carolina costs approximately $3,729 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $2,653 principal and interest, $281 property tax, $174 homeowners insurance, $222 utilities and $399 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Surf City?
Surf City has an effective property tax rate of 0.705%, based on a median home value of $478,600 and median real estate taxes of $3,372. That is higher than the Onslow County average of 0.652%.
What is the average home price in Surf City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Surf City, North Carolina is $478,600, against $219,500 across Onslow County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Surf City?
Median gross rent in Surf City is $1,421 a month, against $3,729 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 Surf City?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Surf City, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $160,000 a year. That covers the full $3,729 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Surf City, 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.