Home / Home Buying by state / North Carolina / Franklin County

Buying a home in Franklin County, North Carolina

The typical owner-occupied home in Franklin County is worth about $284,300, about the same as the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 15% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,834 a year in property taxes, about 0.65% of their home's value, close to the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $74,240 a year, so the median home costs 3.8 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 79% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 62% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Franklin County at a glance

Franklin County North Carolina U.S.
Median home value $284,300 $288,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,834 $1,896 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.65% 0.66% 0.94%
Median household income $74,240 $72,388 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 79% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 62% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,622 $1,631 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.2% 19.4% 21.0%
Median rent $1,083 $1,228 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.8% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1997 1991 1980
Vacant homes 10.2% 12.5% 10.1%
Population 74,386 10,730,404 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Franklin County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Franklin County home of $284,300 with 20% down costs about $1,802 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,276, 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 $77,248 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 29% of the median Franklin County household income of $74,240; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $273,000.

The median rent here is $1,083 a month, so owning the median home costs about $719 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$56,860
Loan amount$227,440
Principal and interest$1,530
Property taxes (0.65% a year)$154
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$118
PMI$0
Total per month$1,802

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$9,950
Loan amount$279,151
Principal and interest$1,878
Property taxes (0.65% a year)$154
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$118
FHA mortgage insurance$126
Total per month$2,276

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Franklin County

What is the median home value in Franklin County?

About $284,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Franklin County?

Homeowners pay a median $1,834 a year, which is about 0.65% 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 Franklin County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,802 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $77,248 a year.

More about Franklin County

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