Unincorporated Orange County county + fire district, no city tax · FY 2026–27
Rates effective July 1, 2026 (FY 2026–27) · Verified July 3, 2026
Skip the city limits and the municipal levy disappears: unincorporated properties pay the county rate plus a fire-service district. On a $400,000 home, the gap between Town of Chapel Hill and the Little River Fire District is about$1,746 every year — the single biggest tax lever on the Orange County map.
Every fire district, FY 2026–27
| Fire district | District rate | Combined | On $400k |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Rural Fire District | $0.0921 | $0.7726 | $3,090/yr |
| Efland Fire District | $0.0838 | $0.7643 | $3,057/yr |
| Orange Grove Fire District | $0.0700 | $0.7505 | $3,002/yr |
| Eno Fire District | $0.1071 | $0.7876 | $3,150/yr |
| Little River Fire District | $0.0635 | $0.7440 | $2,976/yr |
| Cedar Grove Fire District | $0.0754 | $0.7559 | $3,024/yr |
| South Orange Fire Service District | $0.0817 | $0.7622 | $3,049/yr |
| White Cross Fire District | $0.1400 | $0.8205 | $3,282/yr |
| New Hope Fire District | $0.1250 | $0.8055 | $3,222/yr |
| Damascus Fire District | $0.1150 | $0.7955 | $3,182/yr |
| Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District | $0.1150 | $0.7955 | $3,182/yr |
Frequently asked questions
What taxes do you pay on unincorporated Orange County property?
The county levy ($0.6805) plus your fire district's levy — no municipal tax. Combined that is $0.7440 to $0.8205 depending on the district.
What is the trade-off for the lower rate?
No city services: water/sewer is typically well and septic or county utilities, trash service is a county fee or private, and there is no municipal police force (the Sheriff covers unincorporated areas). Zoning and development rules also differ.
Can my property be annexed into a city later?
Yes — North Carolina allows voluntary annexation (and limited involuntary annexation), and annexed parcels move to the city rate. Some recently annexed parcels pay both a city and fire-district levy for a time; they appear as separate zones on our map.