North Carolina · FIPS 37111 · ACS 2020–2024
McDowell County, North Carolina property tax rate
Homeowners in McDowell County paid a median of $911 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $171,100 (2020–2024 survey). Taxes came to 0.49% of home value, 26% below the North Carolina rate of 0.66% and 48% below the U.S. rate of 0.94%.
- 0.49%Effective tax rate±0.07% margin · North Carolina: 0.66%
- $911Median tax per yearNorth Carolina: $1,896 · U.S.: $3,119
- $171,100Median home valueNorth Carolina: $288,900
- 14,088Owner-occupied homes76% of households own
| Measure | McDowell County | North Carolina | U.S. | McDowell County 2019–2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 0.49% | 0.66% | 0.94% | 0.50% | −0.01 pts |
| Median tax, all owners | $911 | $1,896 | $3,119 | $871 | +$40 (+4.6%) |
| Median tax, with a mortgage | $1,079 | $2,115 | $3,489 | $1,033 | +$46 (+4.5%) |
| Median tax, no mortgage | $792 | $1,524 | $2,576 | $750 | +$42 (+5.6%) |
| Median home value | $171,100 | $288,900 | $332,700 | $168,300 | +$2,800 (+1.7%) |
| Total taxes paid | $17,018,800 | $6,852,746,300 | $360,573,527,500 | $15,875,200 |
How McDowell County compares
- Per $1,000 of home value, owners here paid about $4.91 a year, against $6.63 statewide and $9.40 nationally.
- Rank in North Carolina: 12 of 90 counties from lowest to highest effective rate (among those with reliable estimates). Nationally, 17% of 2,682 counties had a lower rate.
- Homes with a mortgage: 0.48% of value; homes without one: 0.51%. Median bills: $1,079 and $792.
- Compared with the 2019–2023 survey, the effective rate fell (−0.01 pts) and the median tax changed +$40 (+4.6%). The two 5-year surveys share four years of responses, so year-to-year moves are small and partly noise.
- Margin of error: the effective rate is 0.49% ± 0.07% at 90% confidence, from a sample of the 14,088 owner-occupied homes.
North Carolina counties with similar rates
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transylvania County | 0.46% | $1,674 | $373,600 |
| Currituck County | 0.47% | $1,760 | $378,800 |
| Madison County | 0.48% | $1,362 | $284,600 |
| Graham County | 0.49% | $979 | $170,600 |
| Henderson County | 0.49% | $1,810 | $351,400 |
| Polk County | 0.50% | $1,697 | $315,000 |
| Dare County | 0.51% | $2,391 | $460,400 |
| Brunswick County | 0.52% | $1,890 | $349,800 |
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table-based summary file: B25090 (aggregate real estate taxes), B25082 (aggregate home value), B25103 (median real estate taxes), B25077 (median home value) and B25003 (tenure); files dated January 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, same tables (files dated October 31, 2024), for the comparison column.
- Geography names: Census Bureau Geos20245YR.txt (file dated January 22, 2026).
Effective rate = total real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied homes ÷ their total value, as reported by owners to the Census Bureau. It is not a millage rate. Your bill depends on your assessed value, exemptions (such as homestead) and local levies.