Property tax in Dare County, North Carolina
The median property tax bill in Dare County, North Carolina is $2,391 a year, which is about 0.52% of the county's median home value of $460,400. That effective rate is lower than the typical North Carolina county (0.65%) and lower than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Dare County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Dare County's average effective rate of 0.52% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $2,394 / year
Property tax in Dare County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $2,391 |
| Median home value | $460,400 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.52% |
| Typical North Carolina county rate | 0.65% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Dare County compare in North Carolina?
Among North Carolina's 100 counties, Dare County has the 85th highest effective property-tax rate: 84 rank higher and 15 rank lower. That places it among the least taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 2576th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every North Carolina county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Dare County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Dare County's 13,202 owner-occupied homes, 31.5% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 61.3% pay at least $2,000, and 6.3% pay under $800.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 829 | 6.3% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 2,197 | 16.6% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 1,995 | 15.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 3,931 | 29.8% |
| $3,000 or more | 4,161 | 31.5% |
| No property tax paid | 89 | 0.7% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $2,340 and owners without one pay $2,480. That is within 10% either way, so in Dare County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Dare County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $2,391 is about 2.4% of the median income of Dare County homeowner households, $100,036 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 78.4% of Dare County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Dare County?
Yes. The median bill went from $1,805 in 2015-2019 to $2,391 in 2020-2024, a 32.5% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 59.3%, from $289,000 to $460,400. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Dare County
Dare County borders 3 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrrell County, NC | 0.81% | $1,331 | $164,500 |
| Hyde County, NC | 0.79% | $975 | $124,000 |
| Dare County, NC (this county) | 0.52% | $2,391 | $460,400 |
| Currituck County, NC | 0.46% | $1,760 | $378,800 |
How is a home assessed in Dare County?
North Carolina assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Dare County included. How North Carolina assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Dare County?
No. North Carolina has no general homestead exemption; relief is targeted to older and disabled owners and to disabled veterans. That is the North Carolina rule, and it applies in Dare County. North Carolina's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Dare County?
A single annual bill, due September 1. You can pay without interest through January 5; anything paid on or after January 6 is delinquent and accrues interest.
That is the North Carolina rule. Dare County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Dare County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County Board of Equalization and Review, then the Property Tax Commission. The filing deadline is typically before the county board adjourns (varies by county). That is the North Carolina rule; Dare County sets the exact dates and forms. The North Carolina appeal process step by step.
North Carolina rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the North Carolina page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Dare County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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North Carolina income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what North Carolina actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Dare County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Dare County, North Carolina: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.