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Buying a home in Valdese, North Carolina

The typical owner-occupied home in Valdese is worth about $209,800, 27% below the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 37% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,561 a year in property taxes, about 0.74% of their home's value, higher than the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $50,740 a year, so the median home costs 4.1 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 73% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 46% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Valdese at a glance

Valdese North Carolina U.S.
Median home value $209,800 $288,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,561 $1,896 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.74% 0.66% 0.94%
Median household income $50,740 $72,388 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 73% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 46% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,357 $1,631 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.4% 19.4% 21.0%
Median rent $665 $1,228 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 25.3% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1968 1991 1980
Vacant homes 2.0% 12.5% 10.1%
Population 4,704 10,730,404 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Valdese

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Valdese home of $209,800 with 20% down costs about $1,346 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,695, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $57,680 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 32% of the median Valdese household income of $50,740; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $185,000.

The median rent here is $665 a month, so owning the median home costs about $681 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$41,960
Loan amount$167,840
Principal and interest$1,129
Property taxes (0.74% a year)$129
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$87
PMI$0
Total per month$1,346

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,343
Loan amount$206,000
Principal and interest$1,386
Property taxes (0.74% a year)$129
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$87
FHA mortgage insurance$93
Total per month$1,695

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Questions about home buying in Valdese

What is the median home value in Valdese?

About $209,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Valdese?

Homeowners pay a median $1,561 a year, which is about 0.74% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Valdese?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,346 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $57,680 a year.

More about Valdese

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data