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State Municipal Index • NC
North Carolina Property Tax Drift Index
State Avg Drift Score
59/100
North Carolina Municipal Risk Briefing
State Comptroller & US Census Bureau (NC)August 2026
North Carolina maintains an average TaxDrift Score of 59/100 across monitored jurisdictions. Overlapping municipal bond issuances and assessment equalization rollbacks determine local millage carrying costs under statutory rules.
Population
10,835,491
Avg Effective Tax Rate
1.0%
Total Tracked Muni Debt
$24.2B
Counties Monitored
5
Statutory Tax Caps & Voter-Approval Rules (NC)
Mandatory countywide reappraisals every 4 to 8 years with required revenue-neutral rate publication.
Audited Counties in North Carolina
North Carolina County Tax Drift Leaderboard
Showing 5 of 5 Audited Jurisdictions| Rank | Jurisdiction | Risk Tier | Audit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Durham County, NC | 65.2 | Elevated | $7,600 | +24.0% | +$1,441/yr | View |
| #2 | Mecklenburg County, NC | 61.5 | Elevated | $6,900 | +25.6% | +$1,345/yr | View |
| #3 | Wake County, NC | 58.7 | Elevated | $7,100 | +24.2% | +$1,382/yr | View |
| #4 | Guilford County, NC | 55.9 | Elevated | $5,800 | +19.5% | +$886/yr | View |
| #5 | Forsyth County, NC | 55.2 | Elevated | $5,600 | +20.0% | +$853/yr | View |