North Carolina · FIPS 37191 · ACS 2020–2024
Wayne County, North Carolina property tax rate
Homeowners in Wayne County paid a median of $1,249 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $178,700 (2020–2024 survey). Taxes came to 0.73% of home value, 10% above the North Carolina rate of 0.66% and 22% below the U.S. rate of 0.94%.
- 0.73%Effective tax rate±0.05% margin · North Carolina: 0.66%
- $1,249Median tax per yearNorth Carolina: $1,896 · U.S.: $3,119
- $178,700Median home valueNorth Carolina: $288,900
- 29,195Owner-occupied homes61% of households own
| Measure | Wayne County | North Carolina | U.S. | Wayne County 2019–2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 0.73% | 0.66% | 0.94% | 0.75% | −0.01 pts |
| Median tax, all owners | $1,249 | $1,896 | $3,119 | $1,210 | +$39 (+3.2%) |
| Median tax, with a mortgage | $1,429 | $2,115 | $3,489 | $1,373 | +$56 (+4.1%) |
| Median tax, no mortgage | $923 | $1,524 | $2,576 | $935 | −$12 (-1.3%) |
| Median home value | $178,700 | $288,900 | $332,700 | $162,700 | +$16,000 (+9.8%) |
| Total taxes paid | $43,418,400 | $6,852,746,300 | $360,573,527,500 | $40,608,900 |
How Wayne County compares
- Per $1,000 of home value, owners here paid about $7.32 a year, against $6.63 statewide and $9.40 nationally.
- Rank in North Carolina: 67 of 90 counties from lowest to highest effective rate (among those with reliable estimates). Nationally, 47% of 2,682 counties had a lower rate.
- Homes with a mortgage: 0.72% of value; homes without one: 0.76%. Median bills: $1,429 and $923.
- Compared with the 2019–2023 survey, the effective rate fell (−0.01 pts) and the median tax changed +$39 (+3.2%). The two 5-year surveys share four years of responses, so year-to-year moves are small and partly noise.
- Margin of error: the effective rate is 0.73% ± 0.05% at 90% confidence, from a sample of the 29,195 owner-occupied homes.
North Carolina counties with similar rates
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 0.70% | $1,834 | $284,300 |
| Columbus County | 0.73% | $1,120 | $146,000 |
| Cabarrus County | 0.74% | $2,586 | $354,800 |
| Lenoir County | 0.74% | $1,015 | $120,500 |
| Bladen County | 0.74% | $1,227 | $135,100 |
| Rockingham County | 0.75% | $1,258 | $168,600 |
| Sampson County | 0.75% | $1,130 | $150,700 |
| Lee County | 0.76% | $1,785 | $240,200 |
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table-based summary file: B25090 (aggregate real estate taxes), B25082 (aggregate home value), B25103 (median real estate taxes), B25077 (median home value) and B25003 (tenure); files dated January 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, same tables (files dated October 31, 2024), for the comparison column.
- Geography names: Census Bureau Geos20245YR.txt (file dated January 22, 2026).
Effective rate = total real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied homes ÷ their total value, as reported by owners to the Census Bureau. It is not a millage rate. Your bill depends on your assessed value, exemptions (such as homestead) and local levies.