Durham County property-tax rates
Every levy in the county for FY 2026–27, exactly as billed — county, cities, fire districts, and special districts — and the 21combined-rate zones they create.
Rates effective July 1, 2026 (FY 2026–27) · Verified July 3, 2026
$0.5792
county levy, per $100
21
combined-rate zones
133,160 parcels
$0.6262–1.2022
combined rate range
lowest to highest zone
Cities & towns in Durham County
Municipal levies stack on the county rate. Combined = what most parcels in the town actually pay (* = includes a district levy that applies town-wide).
| Municipality | City rate | Combined | On $400k | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Durham | $0.4371 | $1.0163 | $4,065/yr | 110,371 parcels |
| Town of Chapel Hill | $0.5000 | $1.0792 | $4,317/yr | 1,320 parcels |
| City of Raleigh | $0.3720 | $0.9512 | $3,805/yr | 1,109 parcels |
| Town of Morrisville | $0.3500 | $0.9292 | $3,717/yr | 65 parcels |
| Town of Cary | $0.3675 | $0.9467 | $3,787/yr | 2 parcels |
Fire districts (unincorporated Durham County)
Outside municipal limits, a fire-district levy stacks on the county rate instead.More on unincorporated Durham County →
| Fire district | District rate | Combined | On $400k | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon Fire District | $0.0919 | $0.6711 | $2,684/yr | 6,541 parcels |
| Durham County Fire & Rescue Service | $0.0829 | $0.6621 | $2,648/yr | 5,024 parcels |
| Redwood Fire District | $0.0932 | $0.6724 | $2,690/yr | 4,911 parcels |
| Bahama Fire District | $0.0883 | $0.6675 | $2,670/yr | 3,312 parcels |
| New Hope Fire District | $0.0791 | $0.6583 | $2,633/yr | 429 parcels |
| Mangum Fire Protection Service District | $0.0470 | $0.6262 | $2,505/yr | 267 parcels |
| Eno Fire District | $0.0684 | $0.6476 | $2,590/yr | 97 parcels |
Special districts
These levies stack on top of the base combined rate in specific areas — each appears in the zone table below exactly where it applies.
| Special district | Rate | Parcels |
|---|---|---|
| City of Durham Business Improvement District | $0.0700 | 933 |
| RTP Research & Production Service | $0.0780 | 170 |
| RTP Public Transit | $0.0250 | 170 |
All 21 tax zones
Flat fees are separate: solid waste fee (durham county residential) $185.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Durham County property-tax rate for FY 2026–27?
The county levy is $0.5792 per $100 of assessed value. Nobody pays only that: every property adds either a municipal rate (inside a city or town) or a fire-district rate (outside), so real combined rates in Durham County run from $0.6262 to $1.2022.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Durham?
Inside City of Durham the combined rate most parcels pay is $1.0163, so a $400,000 home pays about $4,065 a year before flat fees. In unincorporated Durham County the same home pays roughly $2,505–$2,690 depending on fire district.
When was Durham County last revalued?
January 1, 2025 Assessed values from that revaluation are the base for these rates until the next revaluation. Rates themselves are re-adopted every June for the fiscal year starting July 1.
Why do some Durham County parcels pay unusual combinations?
Because bills follow recorded taxing districts, not simple city-limit rules: some parcels pay both a municipal levy and a fire-district levy, some carry special-district levies on top, and a few fringe areas pay no fire levy at all. Each combination appears as its own zone on our map — that is exactly what makes zone-level mapping more accurate than one number per city.
Sources: Official '2026 Tax Rates (FY 2026-2027)' sheet, Durham County Tax Administration (retrieved 2026-07-03) · Tax rates page (HTML) — matches PDF (retrieved 2026-07-03)