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Buying a home in Carolina Beach, North Carolina

The typical owner-occupied home in Carolina Beach is worth about $566,200, 96% above the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 70% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,822 a year in property taxes, about 0.50% of their home's value, lower than the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $94,398 a year, so the median home costs 6.0 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 84% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Carolina Beach at a glance

Carolina Beach North Carolina U.S.
Median home value $566,200 $288,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,822 $1,896 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.50% 0.66% 0.94%
Median household income $94,398 $72,388 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 84% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 63% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,303 $1,631 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.3% 19.4% 21.0%
Median rent $1,513 $1,228 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.7% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1988 1991 1980
Vacant homes 51.0% 12.5% 10.1%
Population 6,745 10,730,404 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Carolina Beach

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Carolina Beach home of $566,200 with 20% down costs about $3,519 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,462, 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 $150,811 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 45% of the median Carolina Beach household income of $94,398; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $354,000.

The median rent here is $1,513 a month, so owning the median home costs about $2,006 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$113,240
Loan amount$452,960
Principal and interest$3,047
Property taxes (0.50% a year)$236
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$236
PMI$0
Total per month$3,519

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$19,817
Loan amount$555,945
Principal and interest$3,740
Property taxes (0.50% a year)$236
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$236
FHA mortgage insurance$250
Total per month$4,462

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Questions about home buying in Carolina Beach

What is the median home value in Carolina Beach?

About $566,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Carolina Beach?

Homeowners pay a median $2,822 a year, which is about 0.50% 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 Carolina Beach?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,519 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $150,811 a year.

More about Carolina Beach

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