Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Washington, North Carolina
A $194,000 home here costs
$1,577per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $997. The real number is $580 higher every month — 58% 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.
Washington against Beaufort County and North Carolina
| Measure | Washington | Beaufort County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $193,800 | $181,200 |
| Median property tax | $1,725 | $1,277 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.890% | 0.705% |
| Median gross rent | $813 | $859 |
| Population | 9,754 | 44,597 |
The weather behind that power bill
Washington sits in Beaufort County, which averages a high of 88.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 36.2°F in its coldest, with 51.56" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,026 cooling and 2,596 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Beaufort County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Beaufort County
Full Beaufort County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Washington?
A $194,000 home in Washington, North Carolina costs approximately $1,577 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $997 principal and interest, $144 property tax, $70 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $162 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Washington?
Washington has an effective property tax rate of 0.890%, based on a median home value of $193,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,725. That is higher than the Beaufort County average of 0.705%.
What is the average home price in Washington?
The median owner-occupied home value in Washington, North Carolina is $193,800, against $181,200 across Beaufort County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Washington?
Median gross rent in Washington is $813 a month, against $1,577 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 Washington — 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.