Photo: Burnsidegen · CC BY-SA 3.0Measured against area pay, Stem costs less to live in than 74% of U.S. towns
About the same as a year ago, close to the North Carolina typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of Granville County, NC ($71K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 2 sales in September 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across Granville County earn ($71K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 3.4 years of area income, and 0% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $317Ktypical home, 5% below the North Carolina typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $1,200a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 3.4 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$71K, Granville County income
- 16%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 14%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
Housing in Stem, in brief
Nearly every household owns
98% of Stem households own their home, against 67% across North Carolina. There are only 10 renter households, so rentals are scarce. Property taxes ↓
Mostly newer homes
Half of Stem’s homes were built after 2011, against 1991 for North Carolina as a whole. Property taxes ↓
A high property tax rate
Owners pay about 0.92% of a home’s value a year in property tax, against 0.66% across North Carolina. The median bill is $2,206 (North Carolina: $1,896). On the typical home, that’s about $240 a month. Property taxes ↓
Written from the data on this page. Home values are the Zillow Home Value Index, through September 2026; incomes, rents paid, taxes and ownership come from the Census American Community Survey.
What’s behind Stem’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Stem is more affordable than 74% of U.S. towns. Home prices pull the grade down most; the share of households paying 30%+ for housing holds it up.
Prices here have kept pace with North Carolina: up 26.0% in five years, against 22.0% statewide (Zillow).
Up 26% in five years
Faster than North Carolina (22%).
Show as a table
| January | Stem | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $160,000 | $178,000 |
| 2018 | $171,000 | $189,000 |
| 2019 | $181,000 | $201,000 |
| 2020 | $199,000 | $214,000 |
| 2021 | $225,000 | $240,000 |
| 2022 | $264,000 | $285,000 |
| 2023 | $299,000 | $318,000 |
| 2024 | $316,000 | $330,000 |
| 2025 | $318,000 | $336,000 |
| 2026 | $321,000 | $334,000 |
| September 2026 | $317,000 | $332,000 |
A typical Stem home worth $157K in October 2016 is worth about $317K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A year’s rent takes 16% of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Stem’s own median, or type yours.
That’s $41K short of a typical Stem home.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,200 a month here, $700 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Stem’s typical property tax (0.92% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,200
Renters already here pay a median of $925, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Granville County, NC): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Property tax runs above the North Carolina norm
The median bill is $2,206 (North Carolina: $1,896), 0.92% of a home’s value a year, against 0.66% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Stem and its neighbors
One source per column.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stem | B+ | $317K | $241K | 0.92% | $1,200 |
Questions about the cost of living in Stem
Is Stem expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Stem costs less than 74% of U.S. towns: a B+ for cost of living. The typical home costs 3.4 years of the median household income of Granville County, NC ($71K).
How much does a house cost in Stem?
About $317K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, down 0.0% in a year. The North Carolina typical home is $332K.
What salary do you need to live in Stem?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $82,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $1,900 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $48,000.
How much is rent in Stem?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,200 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $925 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Stem?
The median bill is $2,206 a year, 0.92% of the median home value (North Carolina: $1,896, 0.66%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Stem going up?
No: down 0.0% in the past year and 26.0% in five years, against 22.0% across North Carolina (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Stem buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, September 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.