Cost to Own
United StatesNorth CarolinaDare CountyWanchese Population 1,793 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Wanchese, North Carolina

A $257,000 home here costs

$1,941

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,321. The real number is $620 higher every month — 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Wanchese median: $257,100
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $205,600 borrowed $1,321
Property tax0.508% effective rate for Wanchese itself $109
Homeowners insuranceNorth Carolina averages $1,192/yr (NAIC), or 0.435% of home value $93
Electricity15.09¢/kWh — North Carolina residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $214
Total monthly $1,941

Wanchese against Dare County and North Carolina

MeasureWancheseDare County
Median home value$257,100$425,400
Median property tax$1,306$2,245
Effective tax rate0.508%0.528%
Median gross rent$1,031$1,307
Population1,79337,534

The weather behind that power bill

Wanchese sits in Dare County, which averages a high of 85.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.6°F in its coldest, with 46.55" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,705 cooling and 2,891 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Dare County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Dare County

Full Dare County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Wanchese?

A $257,000 home in Wanchese, North Carolina costs approximately $1,941 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,321 principal and interest, $109 property tax, $93 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $214 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Wanchese?

Wanchese has an effective property tax rate of 0.508%, based on a median home value of $257,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,306. That is lower than the Dare County average of 0.528%.

What is the average home price in Wanchese?

The median owner-occupied home value in Wanchese, North Carolina is $257,100, against $425,400 across Dare County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Wanchese?

Median gross rent in Wanchese is $1,031 a month, against $1,941 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 Wanchese — 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.

Full methodology