Chatham County, North Carolina property tax
The median homeowner in Chatham County, North Carolina pays $2,671 a year in property tax on a home worth $397,800, an effective rate of 0.67%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.67%, Chatham County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. This is the case where the rate misleads. Owners pay $2,671 a year, which is what matters, and the low percentage is a function of what housing is worth rather than of restraint by the county.
It ranks #53 of 98 North Carolina counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.70%, and #1,853 nationally. The state runs from 1.21% in Northampton County down to 0.37% in Jackson County.
The median home costs 4.49 times the median household income of $88,534, close to the national 3.86. Incomes here run above the national median, which is what keeps that ratio ordinary despite the house prices. The county has 78,319 residents, which is small enough that the medians describe a reasonably coherent market.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Chatham County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.67% | 0.70% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $2,671 | $1,815 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $397,800 | $259,400 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,066 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $88,534 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 4.49× | 3.71× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 14.45% | 19.95% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 80.41% | 66.37% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 78,319.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County | 0.83% | $1,428 | $171,800 |
| Caldwell County | 0.64% | $1,112 | $174,000 |
| Franklin County | 0.72% | $1,732 | $240,900 |
| Surry County | 0.62% | $1,033 | $166,400 |
| Burke County | 0.70% | $1,191 | $170,500 |
Chatham County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Chatham County, North Carolina?
The effective rate is 0.67% of home value, from a median tax bill of $2,671 against a median home value of $397,800. That is 0.31 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Chatham County?
Roughly $2,680 a year at the county effective rate of 0.67%.
Is Chatham County expensive compared with the rest of North Carolina?
It ranks #53 of 98 North Carolina counties by effective property tax rate, and #1853 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.03 points below the North Carolina average of 0.70%.
What does housing cost in Chatham County?
The median home is worth $397,800 and median gross rent is $1,066 a month. Median household income is $88,534, which puts the home at 4.49 times annual income and rent at 14.45% of it.