How is property tax calculated in North Carolina?

North Carolina property tax equals the assessed value divided by 100, multiplied by the combined county and city tax rate expressed per $100 of value. Counties assess property at 100% of market value and revalue at least every eight years, so your taxable base is the appraised value minus any exclusions.

What are typical North Carolina property tax rates?

Combined county and municipal rates commonly fall between $0.60 and $1.30 per $100 of assessed value. For example, a $0.95 combined rate on a $300,000 home is $2,850 a year. Rural county-only areas tend to be lower; cities add a municipal rate on top of the county rate.

What is the homestead exclusion?

North Carolina's elderly or disabled homestead exclusion removes the greater of $25,000 or 50% of the appraised value of a permanent residence for qualifying owners aged 65+ or totally disabled, subject to an income limit. It directly reduces the taxable value before the rate is applied.

Does North Carolina have a vehicle property tax?

Yes, but separately. North Carolina taxes registered motor vehicles through the Tag & Tax Together program at the same county rates, billed with registration renewal. This estimator covers real property (land and buildings), not vehicles.

Are these rates the same statewide?

No. Each of North Carolina's 100 counties sets its own rate, and cities and special districts add their own rates on top. Always use your specific county and municipality's combined rate, which you can find on your county tax assessor's website or your annual bill.

North Carolina Property Tax Estimator

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North Carolina property tax is set locally: each county assesses your property at full market value and applies a combined county-plus-city rate per $100 of value. This estimator multiplies your taxable value by that rate, after any homestead exclusion, to project your annual bill.

How it works

Property tax in North Carolina is a rate per $100 of assessed value. The county appraises property at 100 percent of market value at each revaluation. The formula is:

taxable value = assessed value − homestead exclusion
annual tax    = (taxable value / 100) × combined_rate

The combined rate is your county rate plus any municipal and special-district rates. The optional elderly or disabled homestead exclusion removes the greater of $25,000 or 50 percent of the appraised value for qualifying owners, which this tool can apply before the rate.

Example

A $300,000 home in a jurisdiction with a $0.95 combined rate has a tax of ($300,000 / 100) × 0.95 = $2,850 per year. If a qualifying owner claims the homestead exclusion of 50 percent ($150,000), the taxable value drops to $150,000 and the tax falls to about $1,425.

Notes

This is an estimate. Real bills depend on your exact county and municipal rates, fire and special-district levies, and exclusion eligibility (age 65+ or disabled, plus an income limit for the homestead exclusion). North Carolina revalues at least every eight years, so a recent revaluation can change your assessed value sharply. Confirm your rate and exclusions with your county tax assessor and at ncdor.gov.