Property Tax in Union County, North Carolina
The median real estate tax bill in Union County, North Carolina is $2,298 per year, and the median home is worth $374,400. Both figures are the US Census Bureau's survey medians for owner-occupied households (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What the Union County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $2,298 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Union County, and $374,400 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 Union County is 0.61% (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.
Union County by the numbers
| Measure | Union County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $2,298 | $1,815 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $374,400 | $259,400 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.61% | 0.70% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $192 | $151 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Union County at a glance
- Median tax rank in North Carolina: #7 of 100 counties
- Median home value rank in North Carolina: #5 of 100
- Population rank in North Carolina: #8 of 100 (244,975 residents)
- Population density rank: #13 of 100 (387 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in North Carolina: #23 of 100 (632 sq mi, 1.3% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $192; per $1,000 of home value: $0.61
How Union County compares
Set against its state, Union County's median bill of $2,298 is about 27% higher than the North Carolina median ($1,815). Against the country as a whole it is about 23% lower than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #7 of 100 North Carolina counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Union County's median home, at $374,400, ranks #5 by value in North Carolina, while its derived rate of 0.61% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Union County: the median bill works out to about $192 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $614 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 244,975 people — the #8 most populous county in North Carolina, spread over 632 square miles, a density of about 387 people per square mile. Its median home value, $374,400, ranks #5 among the state's 100 counties with data.
Nationally, Union County's median bill of $2,298 ranks #833 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 27% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 2.3% of North Carolina's population, its median home value is about 44% above the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 6.14% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Union County to the most expensive county, Orange County ($4,105), is $1,807 a year.
Counties nearest Union County in the North Carolina ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham County, NC | $2,671 | $397,800 | 0.67% |
| Cabarrus County, NC | $2,429 | $318,600 | 0.76% |
| Dare County, NC | $2,245 | $425,400 | 0.53% |
| Buncombe County, NC | $2,163 | $360,000 | 0.60% |
How the tax is worked out
Think of the final bill as three ingredients: the assessed value of the property, the exemptions subtracted from it, and the combined rate of every district the property sits in. Union County's medians imply a derived rate of 0.61%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $2,456 a year, or around $205 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Checking your assessment in Union 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 Union 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Union County, North Carolina?
The median real estate tax paid in Union County, North Carolina is $2,298 per year, on a median home value of $374,400 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Union County, North Carolina?
On a derived basis, 0.61%: the county's median tax bill of $2,298 divided by its median home value of $374,400. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Union County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
Union County ranks #7 of 100 North Carolina counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $2,298 is about 27% higher than the North Carolina median of $1,815.
How are property taxes calculated in Union County, North Carolina?
The assessor estimates your property's market value; exemptions (such as a homestead exemption) reduce the taxable amount; and the result is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts — county, municipality, school district and any special districts. In Union County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $2,298 on a median home value of $374,400.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Union County, North Carolina?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Union 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.