A Wilmington home pays 63.35 cents per $100 in 2026: 30.20 county, 33.15 city. Bills were due Sept. 1; no interest through Jan. 5, 2027.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Rates come from New Hanover County Tax Administration’s Historic Tax Rates page; due dates, appeals and relief from the Tax Department.

Wilmington homeowners get one property tax bill a year from New Hanover County, which collects for the city as well. For 2026 a home inside the city limits pays 63.35 cents per $100 of assessed value: 30.20 cents to the county and 33.15 cents to the city. The 2026 bills were due Sept. 1, and the county says they can be paid without penalty or interest through Jan. 5, 2027.

Who to call

The 2026 rates

North Carolina tax rates are set per $100 of assessed value. These are the 2026 rates from the county’s table:

Taxing body Rate per $100 Who pays it
New Hanover County 30.20 cents Every property in the county
City of Wilmington 33.15 cents Property inside the city limits
Municipal Service District 5 cents Downtown Wilmington’s service district only
Fire District 7.25 cents Unincorporated county only, not the city

For a house assessed at $300,000 inside the city and outside the downtown district, that works out to $906 for the county and $994.50 for the city, or $1,900.50 a year. Look up your own assessed value with the county’s property search.

How the rate has changed

The city rate rose 4.9 cents this year, from 28.25 cents in 2025, and the county rate rose from 29.50 to 30.20 cents. The big drops in 2021 and 2025 follow countywide revaluations, when values went up and the rates were reset.

Line chart of the City of Wilmington property tax rate from 2016 to 2026, from 48.5 cents per $100 in 2016 to 28.25 cents in 2025 and 33.15 cents in 2026

Year City of Wilmington New Hanover County
2026 33.15 cents 30.20 cents
2025 28.25 cents 29.50 cents
2024 42.00 cents 42.90 cents
2023 39.50 cents 42.60 cents
2022 39.50 cents 42.29 cents
2021 38.08 cents 43.04 cents

Revaluation

New Hanover County revalues every property every four years, though state law requires it only every eight; the commissioners shortened the cycle in 2008. The current revaluation took effect Jan. 1, 2025, across about 115,000 parcels. Cars, boats and business equipment are valued every year.

Due dates and how to pay

  • Due date: Sept. 1 each year. The 2026 bills can be paid without penalty or interest through Jan. 5, 2027.
  • Online: through the county’s InvoiceCloud payment site.
  • By phone: 877-309-0878.
  • By mail: with the bill’s coupon to New Hanover County Tax Office, P.O. Box 580070, Charlotte, NC 28258.
  • In person or drop box: 230 Government Center Drive. The drop box is to the right of the main entrance.

If a mortgage company pays your taxes from escrow, you still get a copy of the bill. The county’s collections FAQ says it does not know which properties are in escrow, so check that your lender has paid. A payment agreement form is available for owners who cannot pay in full.

How to appeal your value

Any taxpayer can appeal a property value if it is well above market value as of Jan. 1, 2025, or out of line with similar homes nearby. File the county’s online residential appeal form; the county’s comparable sales search helps make the case.

Staff review the appeal first. If you disagree with the result, the appeal goes to the Board of Equalization and Review, which decides at the hearing and mails written notice within 30 days. For the 2026 tax year the deadline was 5 p.m. May 14, 2026. The board sets each year’s deadline in the spring, and the county asks owners to file within 30 days of getting a value notice.

Tax relief

The county lists three state programs on its Tax Relief page. All use Form AV-9 and are due June 1:

  • Elderly or disabled homestead exclusion: for North Carolina residents 65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled, who own and live in the home and meet the state income limit. It excludes the greater of $25,000 or 50% of the home’s value.
  • Disabled veteran exclusion: $45,000 of value off the home of an honorably discharged veteran with a 100% permanent, service-connected disability, or the unmarried surviving spouse. No age or income limit.
  • Homestead circuit breaker: defers taxes above a set share of income for owners who qualify for the homestead exclusion and have owned and lived in the home for at least five years. It needs a new application every year.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Wilmington, NC? For 2026, a property inside the city pays the New Hanover County rate of 30.20 cents and the City of Wilmington rate of 33.15 cents per $100 of assessed value, 63.35 cents in all. Downtown’s Municipal Service District adds 5 cents.

When are New Hanover County property taxes due? The 2026 bills were due Sept. 1, 2026. The county says they can be paid without penalty or interest through Jan. 5, 2027.

How do I appeal my property value in New Hanover County? File an appeal form with the Tax Administrator’s office. For the 2026 tax year the Board of Equalization and Review deadline was 5 p.m. May 14, 2026; the 2027 dates are set next spring.

Is there a senior property tax break in New Hanover County? Yes. Homeowners 65 or older, or totally and permanently disabled, who meet the state income limit can exclude the greater of $25,000 or 50% of their home’s value. Apply by June 1 with Form AV-9.

How much did Wilmington’s tax rate go up in 2026? The city rate rose 4.9 cents, from 28.25 to 33.15 cents per $100. The county rate rose from 29.50 to 30.20 cents.

What this means for you

  • Pay the 2026 bill by Jan. 5, 2027, to avoid interest.
  • Escrow or not, check that the bill has been paid.
  • Turning 65, or newly disabled? The relief application is due June 1.
  • Appeal deadlines fall in the spring. Do not wait for the tax bill to question a value.

More for homeowners: Wilmington home prices, building permits and zoning and moving to Wilmington.