North Carolina property tax rankings, 2025–26

Ranked by effective rate, which the state publishes so places can be compared fairly.

Lowest effective rates

#TownCountyEffective rate
1Unincorporated Watauga CountyWatauga County 0.2104
2Unincorporated Carteret CountyCarteret County 0.2212
3Unincorporated Macon CountyMacon County 0.228
4Unincorporated Clay CountyClay County 0.2328
5Unincorporated Swain CountySwain County 0.2506
6Unincorporated Moore CountyMoore County 0.256
7Unincorporated Dare CountyDare County 0.2607
8Unincorporated Avery CountyAvery County 0.2618
9BogueCarteret County 0.2704
10PeletierCarteret County 0.2753

Highest effective rates

#TownCountyEffective rate
1SharpsburgEdgecombe County 1.6114
2RoperWashington County 1.5914
3EnfieldHalifax County 1.5606
4WhitakersEdgecombe County 1.5364
5HamletRichmond County 1.5332
6RowlandRobeson County 1.5147
7MaxtonRobeson County 1.4859
8FairmontRobeson County 1.4188
9ColumbiaTyrrell County 1.4148
10Rocky MountEdgecombe County 1.4146

How rates are spread

011723440.0–0.21050.2–0.51850.5–0.82340.8–1.01151.0–1.2411.2–1.561.5–1.8
Number of North Carolina places in each effective rate band, 2025–26 (per $100 of assessed value)

Reading these rankings

The median effective rate in North Carolina is 0.81715 per $100. Half of places are above it and half below.

Effective rate is the fair way to compare places, because it accounts for how far each one's assessments are from market value. To estimate a bill for a particular home, use the combined tax rate and the assessed value on its page.

Compare two towns · All 690 places

Source: North Carolina Department of Revenue, 2025-2026 County and Municipal Tax Rates and Effective Tax Rates. Retrieved 2026-10-24.