The typical owner-occupied home in Onslow County is worth about $236,400, 18% below the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 29% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,502 a year in property taxes, about 0.64% of their home's value, close to the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $68,148 a year, so the median home costs 3.5 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 64% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 71% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Onslow County at a glance
| Onslow County | North Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,400 | $288,900 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,502 | $1,896 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.64% | 0.66% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $68,148 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 64% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 71% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,531 | $1,631 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 22.0% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,265 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.4% | 29.5% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1998 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 13.8% | 12.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 207,906 | 10,730,404 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Onslow County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Onslow County home of $236,400 with 20% down costs about $1,497 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,891, 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 $64,149 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 26% of the median Onslow County household income of $68,148; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $251,000.
The median rent here is $1,265 a month, so owning the median home costs about $232 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $47,280 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $189,120 |
| Principal and interest | $1,272 |
| Property taxes (0.64% a year) | $126 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $98 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,497 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $8,274 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $232,118 |
| Principal and interest | $1,561 |
| Property taxes (0.64% a year) | $126 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $98 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $105 |
| Total per month | $1,891 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Onslow County
What is the median home value in Onslow County?
About $236,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Onslow County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,502 a year, which is about 0.64% 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 Onslow County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,497 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $64,149 a year.
More about Onslow County
- Mortgage Refinance in Onslow County
- Debt Relief in Onslow County
- Home Equity Loans in Onslow County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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