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Buying a home in Guilford County, North Carolina

The typical owner-occupied home in Guilford County is worth about $259,900, 10% below the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 22% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,174 a year in property taxes, about 0.84% of their home's value, higher than the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $68,642 a year, so the median home costs 3.8 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 60% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Guilford County at a glance

Guilford County North Carolina U.S.
Median home value $259,900 $288,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,174 $1,896 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.84% 0.66% 0.94%
Median household income $68,642 $72,388 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 60% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 65% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,536 $1,631 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.1% 19.4% 21.0%
Median rent $1,163 $1,228 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.0% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1987 1991 1980
Vacant homes 7.7% 12.5% 10.1%
Population 547,940 10,730,404 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Guilford County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Guilford County home of $259,900 with 20% down costs about $1,689 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,122, 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 $72,382 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 30% of the median Guilford County household income of $68,642; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $246,000.

The median rent here is $1,163 a month, so owning the median home costs about $526 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$51,980
Loan amount$207,920
Principal and interest$1,399
Property taxes (0.84% a year)$182
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$108
PMI$0
Total per month$1,689

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$9,096
Loan amount$255,193
Principal and interest$1,717
Property taxes (0.84% a year)$182
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$108
FHA mortgage insurance$115
Total per month$2,122

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Questions about home buying in Guilford County

What is the median home value in Guilford County?

About $259,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Guilford County?

Homeowners pay a median $2,174 a year, which is about 0.84% 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 Guilford County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,689 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $72,382 a year.

More about Guilford 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