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Chapel Hill NC Relocation - Property Taxes

How Much Will I Pay in Property Taxes for My New Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, or Carrboro Home?

That's a very common question when considering purchasing a home in Orange County. 

Orange County holds Chapel Hill, the third corner of the Triangle - which consists of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill.  Orange County is divided nearly in half by Hwy 40, which runs east/west between Raleigh/Durham and Greensboro.  Mebane and Hillsborough are "middle ground" points between the two areas.  Chapel Hill and Carrboro are on the southern side of the county, just north of Chatham County.  Find out more about Orange County here. 

If you're considering relocating to Orange County, you may have a Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, Mebane, Durham, Cedar Grove, Schley, Caldwell, or Carr street address.

Find Out What District Your New Orange County Home is Located In

Ask your real estate agent what fire district or town the property resides in.  If there's a particular home that you're considering, you can go directly to the Orange County Tax Records site, type in the address, and see the assessed value of the property, as well as the tax rate.  

This chart shows the 2008/2009 Orange County property tax rates.  If you are relocating to a home inside a town, the tax rate will be higher.  If your new home will be outside of town boundaries, the tax rate can be extremely low.

Check the Tax Rate Tables for the Property Tax Rate for Your District or Town in Orange County NC

The county rate gets combined with either the fire district rate or the town rate, depending on where the home for sale is located. 

OK - But What Will I Actually Pay in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, or Hillsborough Property Taxes?

What do all those little numbers mean?  It's actually not as hard as it looks.

1. Take the assessed value of the property.
2. Divide by 100.
3. Multiply by the tax rate.

This will give you the yearly tax amount, per 2008/2009 rates.

And just to give you an idea, here's a table of sample yearly tax payments for different sample assessed home values.

Orange County has some of the highest property tax rates in the Triangle area.  There is no guarantee that tax rates will remain the same - check the Orange County Property Tax page for most recent information.

As you can see, Chapel Hill School Districts inside city limits are some of the most expensive places to live in Orange County NC.   

When looking at properties, don't take the "city" address for granted - you could be in a different county, with different tax rates, depending on where exactly the property is located.

How Do I Find Out the Assessed Value of My Chapel Hill or Hillsborough Home?

If there's a particular home that you're considering, you can go directly to the Orange County Tax Records site, type in the address, and see the assessed value of the property. 

What if the Assessed Value of my Chapel Hill or Hillsborough home is Different From the Sales Price?

If there is a discrepancy between the assessed value and the asking price of the home or lot, don't be afraid to ask your real estate agent to pull comps for you.  Assessed values are not always aligned well with market values, as assessments are often made several years apart. 

Want to Compare Property Tax Rates for Counties in the Triangle?

Property Tax Rates for Triangle Area Counties

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Which Part of the Triangle is Cheapest to Live?  Property Tax Guide

Raleigh Relocation Package - Property Taxes

Whether you're considering relocating from one side of the Triangle to the other, are relocating to Fort Bragg, or are coming to the Raleigh area from Florida, New Jersey, New York, or elsewhere, you've probably wondered what the yearly property taxes might be for your new home.

Here's an easy guide to property taxes in many of the counties surrounding the Triangle.

Compare counties, or simply get a feel for average costs.

Wake County - includes Raleigh, NC.  Raleigh is one of the three points of the "Triangle", with Chapel Hill and Durham as the other two corners.  Wake County includes Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Morrisville, and more - as well as top attractions like the NC Museum of Art, NC Museum of Natural Science, NC State, and much more.

Wake County Property Tax Rate Information

Lee County - includes Sanford, NC.  Lee County is home to many military families who have a short commute to Fort Bragg and an easy drive to everything Raleigh has to offer. 

Lee County Property Tax Rate Information

Johnston County - includes Clayton, NC.  Johnston County is known for larger lot sizes and lower home prices, while still close to Raleigh on the southeastern side.  Lots of new shopping right in the area makes this county even more attractive - and there's a huge outlet mall in Smithfield, NC.

Johnston County Property Tax Rate Information

Chatham County - includes Pittsboro, NC.  Best known for beautiful Jordan Lake, the Haw River, and some great golf, Chatham County is rolling and wooded, and offers many great neighborhoods within easy driving distance of Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Apex, NC.

Chatham County Property Tax Rate Information

Durham County - includes Durham, NC.  Home of Duke University, the Durham Bulls, and much more.  The "top point" of the Triangle includes much of the Falls Lake State Park. 

Durham County Property Taxes - How Much Should You Expect to Pay?

Orange County - includes Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough.  UNC Chapel Hill is a shining example of the pride of the area.  Chartered in 1789, this research university is one of the original "Public Ivy League" schools and continues to build an excellent reputation. 

Orange County, NC Property Taxes - How Much Will Property Taxes Cost in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, or Hillsborough

Granville County - includes Creedmoor, Oxford, and Stovall.  Granville County is just north of Wake and Durham Counties.  In 2005, there were about 55,000 residents.  93% of farms are family-owned.  Close to the Triangle, with a more rural feel and lower population.

Granville County NC Property Tax Rates - How Much Will Property Taxes Cost in Creedmoor, Oxford, Stovall, or Butner?

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Lee County NC Property Taxes - How to Find out How Much You'll Pay

Whether you're considering relocating from one side of the Triangle to the other, are relocating to Fort Bragg, or are coming to the Raleigh area from Florida, New Jersey, New York, or elsewhere, you've probably wondered what the yearly property taxes might be for your new home.

Sanford, NC is in the center of Lee County, and Hwy 1 runs roughly north/south through the center of Lee County, up towards Cary and Raleigh.   The northern tip of Lee County is about 30 miles from downtown Raleigh, and Sanford itself is about 25 miles from Fort Bragg and 25 miles from Jordan Lake, one of the prime water recreation areas in the Raleigh area and Chatham County.

Here are the 2007 rates, by town.  To get the total property tax rate for a town, simply add the county tax to the town tax.  For example, Sanford has a town rate of .55, and the Lee County rate is .75.  Add the two together - the total property tax rate for Sanford, NC is 1.3.

It's not as confusing as it looks.  The tax rates are based on the assessed value of the home, not the asking price. 

• Divide the assessed value by 100.
• Multiply the result by the combined rate on the right side of the table.
• The result will be your yearly property tax bill, as of 2007. 

This table gives sample property tax bills for all the towns and fire districts in Lee County: Sanford, Cape Fear, Cameron, Carolina Trace, Deep River, Lemon Springs, Northview, Tramway, West Pocket, and West Sanford.

Your tax bill can be lower if your home or property is not actually within a municipality, or town.  If this is the case, you'll pay just the County rate, plus most likely a fire district tax. 

For 2007, the fire district tax rates vary from .064 to .099, compared to the .55 rate for the City of Sanford.  There is no guarantee that tax rates will remain the same - check the Lee County Property Tax page for most recent information.

When looking at properties, don't take the "city" address for granted - you could be in a different county, with different tax rates, depending on where exactly the property is located.

If there's a particular home that you're considering, you can go directly to the Lee County Tax Records site, type in the address, and see the assessed value of the property.  If there is a discrepancy between the assessed value and the asking price of the home or lot, don't be afraid to ask your real estate agent to pull comps for you.  Assessed values are not always aligned well with market values, as assessments are often made several years apart. 

Raleigh and the Triangle Area

Whether you're looking at relocating to Raleigh to start your career, to find a friendly place to raise a family, or retiring in a terrific climate, Raleigh and the Research Park Triangle has something to offer you. Great schools, lots of lakes and golf courses, top-rated cultural centers, universities, and hospitals - and all only two hours to the ocean and three hours to the mountains - it's no wonder that Raleigh is a "Best Place to Live"!

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Copyright 2008 by Stanton Homes.  All information current as of posting date.  Check with Lee County for any available updates to tax rates.