How Much Are Property Taxes in Wilmington and the NC Coast? (2026-27)
The short answer: On a $400,000 home, yearly property taxes along the southeastern NC coast run from about $1,200 outside town limits in New Hanover or Brunswick County to about $3,800 inside Jacksonville. Which county you're in matters less than whether you're inside a town, and how long ago the county last updated its values. The rates below are from the NC Department of Revenue and each town's 2026-27 budget.
How NC property tax works, in one minute
- Rates are per $100 of assessed value. A rate of 0.60 means $600 a year on a home assessed at $100,000.
- You pay the county, plus the town if you're inside town limits. Outside town limits, some areas add a fire district tax or fee.
- Buying a home doesn't change its assessed value. In North Carolina, values only reset when the county does a countywide revaluation, at least every 8 years. Your bill is based on the county's value, not what you paid.
- Bills go out in summer and are due September 1. You can pay without interest through January 5.
- At closing, the year's taxes are split between buyer and seller by the calendar year, so each side pays for the months they owned the home.
County rates for 2026-27
| County | County rate (per $100) | Last revaluation | Next revaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hanover | 0.3060 | 2025 | 2029 |
| Brunswick | 0.3420 | 2023 | 2027 |
| Pender | 0.7375 | 2019 | 2027 |
| Onslow | 0.6550 | 2022 | 2027 |
| Duplin | 0.5800 | 2025 | 2030 |
All five counties kept the same county rate for 2026-27.
Why Pender's rate looks high but isn't
Pender's county rate (0.7375) is more than twice New Hanover's (0.306). But Pender's values were last set in 2019, and homes there now sell for nearly twice their assessed value. The state measures this each year. In 2025, Pender homes were assessed at about 54% of what they sold for, compared with nearly 100% in New Hanover. So the real cost, measured against what a home is worth today, is closer than the rates suggest.
That will change. Pender's 2026 revaluation notices showed values rising about 105–110% on average. A new state law (Senate Bill 889, signed June 20, 2026) froze those new values for one year, so this year's bills still use the old values. The revaluation is now scheduled for 2027. Onslow's and Brunswick's are also scheduled for 2027. If you buy in Pender, Onslow or Brunswick, plan for your assessed value to jump after the next revaluation. Counties usually lower the rate when values rise, but your bill can still go up.
What it costs on a $400,000 home
This table uses each place's effective rate: the combined county and town rate, adjusted by the state's measure of how close assessed values are to real sale prices. It's the fairest way to compare places on different revaluation schedules.
| Where | County + town rate | Effective rate | About per year on a $400K home |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hanover, outside town limits | 0.3060 | 0.305% | $1,222 |
| Wrightsville Beach | 0.3591 | 0.358% | $1,434 |
| Carolina Beach | 0.4477 | 0.447% | $1,787 |
| Kure Beach | 0.4780 | 0.477% | $1,908 |
| Wilmington* | 0.6375 | 0.636% | $2,545 |
| Brunswick, outside town limits | 0.3420 | 0.307% | $1,229 |
| St. James | 0.4020 | 0.361% | $1,445 |
| Calabash | 0.4120 | 0.370% | $1,481 |
| Ocean Isle Beach | 0.4720 | 0.424% | $1,696 |
| Holden Beach | 0.4820 | 0.433% | $1,732 |
| Sunset Beach | 0.5020 | 0.451% | $1,804 |
| Oak Island | 0.5420 | 0.487% | $1,948 |
| Leland* | 0.5920 | 0.532% | $2,128 |
| Southport | 0.6520 | 0.586% | $2,343 |
| Shallotte | 0.6520 | 0.586% | $2,343 |
| Pender, outside town limits (Hampstead, Rocky Point) | 0.7375 | 0.401% | $1,602 |
| Topsail Beach | 1.2175 | 0.661% | $2,645 |
| Surf City (Pender side) | 1.2675 | 0.689% | $2,754 |
| Onslow, outside town limits (Sneads Ferry, Hubert) | 0.6550 | 0.498% | $1,994 |
| Holly Ridge | 0.9950 | 0.757% | $3,029 |
| North Topsail Beach | 1.0850 | 0.826% | $3,303 |
| Jacksonville | 1.2550 | 0.955% | $3,820 |
*Wilmington (up 4.9 cents to 0.3315) and Leland (down 2 cents to 0.25) changed their town rates for 2026-27, and those new rates are used here. Other town rates are the 2025-26 rates published by the NC Department of Revenue. A few towns may have adjusted theirs for 2026-27, so check the town's budget page. Effective rates use the state's 2025 sales-to-assessment ratio for each county. An individual home can be assessed above or below that average, and fire district taxes or fees outside town limits aren't included.
Before you make an offer
- Look up the home's actual assessed value on the county's tax website. Don't estimate from the price.
- On new construction, the tax in the listing is often for the land only. Estimate on the full price instead.
- In Pender, Onslow and Brunswick, ask what the home might be worth at the 2027 revaluation and budget for it.
- Check whether the home is inside town limits. A "Wilmington" or "Leland" mailing address doesn't always mean you pay town taxes.
Tax relief you might qualify for
- 65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled: if your 2025 income was $38,800 or less, the first $25,000 or 50% of your home's value (whichever is greater) is excluded. Apply with the county by June 1.
- Circuit breaker deferral: for owners 65 and older or disabled with income up to $58,200, taxes can be capped at a share of income, with the rest deferred.
- Disabled veterans: honorably discharged veterans with a total and permanent service-connected disability (or an unmarried surviving spouse) can exclude the first $45,000 of their home's value.
Your county tax office handles every one of these, and each has its own application.
Keep looking
- Selling? What it takes and what it costs in your town
- Leland vs. Wilmington: what you get for your money
- How homes really sell in each town
- Homes for sale by town and type
Questions buyers ask
Which county near Wilmington has the lowest property taxes?
Outside town limits, New Hanover and Brunswick are about the same, around 0.31% of a home's value a year, or roughly $1,200 on a $400,000 home. Inside a town, the town's rate is added on top.
Are property taxes higher in Wilmington or Leland?
For 2026-27, a little higher in Wilmington: about $2,545 a year on a $400,000 home, versus about $2,128 in Leland.
Does my property tax go up when I buy a house in NC?
No, not because of the sale. North Carolina bases your bill on the county's assessed value, which only changes at a countywide revaluation. It can go up when the county revalues or when the county or town raises its rate.
When are property taxes due in North Carolina?
They're due September 1, and you can pay without interest through January 5 of the next year.
Sources: NC Department of Revenue, 2025-26 County and Municipal Tax Rates and Effective Tax Rates, and 2026-27 County Tax Rates and Reappraisal Schedules; City of Wilmington and Town of Leland FY2026-27 budgets; NCDOR 2026 income limits for property tax relief; N.C.G.S. 105-277.1 and 105-277.1C; Port City Daily coverage of Pender County's 2026 revaluation.
