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Buying a home in Rowan County, North Carolina

The typical owner-occupied home in Rowan County is worth about $238,400, 17% below the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 28% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,554 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 $65,725 a year, so the median home costs 3.6 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Rowan County at a glance

Rowan County North Carolina U.S.
Median home value $238,400 $288,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,554 $1,896 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.65% 0.66% 0.94%
Median household income $65,725 $72,388 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 72% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 60% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,429 $1,631 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.4% 19.4% 21.0%
Median rent $1,013 $1,228 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.7% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1983 1991 1980
Vacant homes 9.4% 12.5% 10.1%
Population 149,875 10,730,404 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Rowan County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Rowan County home of $238,400 with 20% down costs about $1,511 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,909, 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 $64,777 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 28% of the median Rowan County household income of $65,725; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $242,000.

The median rent here is $1,013 a month, so owning the median home costs about $498 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$47,680
Loan amount$190,720
Principal and interest$1,283
Property taxes (0.65% a year)$129
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$99
PMI$0
Total per month$1,511

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,344
Loan amount$234,082
Principal and interest$1,575
Property taxes (0.65% a year)$129
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$99
FHA mortgage insurance$105
Total per month$1,909

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Questions about home buying in Rowan County

What is the median home value in Rowan County?

About $238,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Rowan County?

Homeowners pay a median $1,554 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 Rowan County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,511 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $64,777 a year.

More about Rowan 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