Property Tax in Cleveland County, North Carolina
In Cleveland County, North Carolina, the typical homeowner pays $1,240 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $180,200. The figures on this page are the Census Bureau's published medians (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023), shown exactly as released.
What the Cleveland County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $1,240 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Cleveland County, and $180,200 is the middle home value. Neither figure describes a specific property — together they describe the typical homeowner's situation in the county.
The derived effective rate for Cleveland County is 0.69% (median tax ÷ median value). Treat it as an estimate for comparison only: it comes from survey medians of different households, not from the county's rate schedule.
Cleveland County by the numbers
| Measure | Cleveland County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $1,240 | $1,815 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $180,200 | $259,400 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.69% | 0.70% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $103 | $151 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Cleveland County at a glance
- Median tax rank in North Carolina: #54 of 100 counties
- Median home value rank in North Carolina: #63 of 100
- Population rank in North Carolina: #29 of 100 (100,170 residents)
- Population density rank: #25 of 100 (216 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in North Carolina: #50 of 100 (464 sq mi, 1.0% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $103; per $1,000 of home value: $0.69
How Cleveland County compares
Of the 100 North Carolina counties with published data, 53 have a higher median property tax bill than Cleveland County's $1,240, putting the county at #54 in the state. Its bill is about 32% lower than the state median of $1,815 and about 58% lower than the national median of $2,969.
Rates and values pull in opposite directions: an expensive housing market can produce big bills at ordinary rates. Here the derived rate is 0.69%, versus 0.98% derived nationally, and the median home value ranks #63 within North Carolina.
Some extra context for Cleveland County: the median bill works out to about $103 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $688 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 100,170 people — the #29 most populous county in North Carolina, spread over 464 square miles, a density of about 216 people per square mile. Its median home value, $180,200, ranks #63 among the state's 100 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 2036 record a higher median tax bill than Cleveland County — it sits in the top 65% nationally. The county holds roughly 0.9% of North Carolina's people. Its homes are worth less than the state norm (median $180,200 versus $259,400), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.69% adds up to about 6.88% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Hyde County, medians $753 — $487 less than Cleveland County per year.
Counties nearest Cleveland County in the North Carolina ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson County, NC | $1,262 | $200,100 | 0.63% |
| Pamlico County, NC | $1,257 | $209,800 | 0.60% |
| Randolph County, NC | $1,236 | $171,600 | 0.72% |
| Tyrrell County, NC | $1,233 | $138,400 | 0.89% |
Cleveland County and its population peers
Population is a useful lens on these figures, so the table below sets Cleveland County beside the counties closest to it in population anywhere in the country — communities of a similar scale operating under different state and local tax systems. Ranked by median tax paid within this peer group of 9, Cleveland County's $1,240 bill is #8 of 9.
| County | Population | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laramie County, WY | 100,661 | $1,893 | $324,900 | 0.58% |
| DeKalb County, IL | 100,512 | $5,889 | $231,900 | 2.54% |
| Grant County, WA | 100,428 | $2,268 | $275,700 | 0.82% |
| Walton County, GA | 100,361 | $2,431 | $300,500 | 0.81% |
| Garland County, AR | 100,062 | $915 | $176,400 | 0.52% |
| Sherburne County, MN | 99,178 | $3,311 | $332,700 | 0.99% |
| Montgomery County, VA | 99,159 | $2,174 | $283,600 | 0.77% |
| Burleigh County, ND | 98,986 | $2,764 | $314,700 | 0.88% |
The closest population match is Garland County, Arkansas (100,062 residents), where the median real estate tax paid is $915 on a median home value of $176,400 — $325 more than Cleveland County pays.
Inside North Carolina itself, the counties closest to Cleveland County in population are Moore County (102,840 residents, median tax $1,784 on a median value of $315,300); Craven County (101,074 residents, median tax $1,372 on a median value of $206,200); Nash County (95,451 residents, median tax $1,320 on a median value of $171,100); Rockingham County (91,585 residents, median tax $1,230 on a median value of $156,000). Same state, same broad tax framework — yet the median bills still differ, because assessed values and the mix of county, municipal and school-district rates are set locally.
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Cleveland County's derived rate of 0.69%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $2,752 a year. That is only an illustration using the derived rate — a real bill is computed from the property's assessed value, its exemptions, and the combined rates of its specific taxing districts, so it can be higher or lower.
The usual sequence is: the local assessor values the property; exemptions are applied; the taxable value is multiplied by the combined local rates; and the county bills and collects the tax, distributing it to the schools, municipalities and districts that levied it.
Illustrative bills in Cleveland County at the derived rate
The derived rate of 0.69% is only an estimate built from medians, but applying it to different home values gives a sense of scale for Cleveland County — and a quick way to compare with the state derived rate of 0.70% and the US figure of 0.98%:
| Home value | Illustrative tax / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $1,032 | $86 |
| $250,000 | $1,720 | $143 |
| $350,000 | $2,408 | $201 |
| $500,000 | $3,440 | $287 |
| $750,000 | $5,160 | $430 |
Illustration only: real bills are computed from the assessed value, exemptions, and the combined rates of the property's actual taxing districts.
Checking your assessment in Cleveland County
Believe your assessment is too high? The practical order of attack is: obtain your record card and audit it line by line; collect comparable recent sales in Cleveland County; ask the assessor's office to correct anything plainly wrong; and, if the value still seems off, lodge a formal appeal ahead of the deadline printed on your assessment notice. Windows are short — often 30 to 90 days — and late appeals are usually rejected outright, however strong the case.
More North Carolina counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Cleveland County, North Carolina?
The median real estate tax paid in Cleveland County, North Carolina is $1,240 per year, on a median home value of $180,200 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Cleveland County, North Carolina?
Dividing Cleveland County's median tax bill ($1,240) by its median home value ($180,200) gives a derived effective rate of 0.69%. This is an estimate computed from two Census survey medians — it is not the county's official tax rate.
How does Cleveland County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
Cleveland County ranks #54 of 100 North Carolina counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $1,240 is about 32% lower than the North Carolina median of $1,815.
How are property taxes calculated in Cleveland County, North Carolina?
Three steps produce the bill: an assessment of market value by the local assessor, a reduction for exemptions you qualify for (a homestead exemption is the common one), and multiplication by the combined rates of the county, municipality, school district and any special districts covering the property. The median result in Cleveland County is $1,240 of tax on a $180,200 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Cleveland County, North Carolina?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Cleveland County assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.