If you own a home in Wake County, a new assessed value is coming in January 2027. It will be the county’s first revaluation since 2024, and it lands a year earlier than it would have under the old schedule.
Here is what the county has announced, what you are paying right now, and what you can do if you think your new value is wrong.
The next revaluation takes effect January 1, 2027
Wake County says its next countywide revaluation will be effective January 1, 2027, and that owners will receive new notices of value that January.
The timing is new. Wake County used to revalue property every four years, and in March 2025 the Board of Commissioners approved a shorter schedule: a three-year gap to 2027, then revaluations every two years, starting January 1, 2029.
The reason is the last one. Between 2020 and 2024, the county’s real estate values rose 51 percent, and a jump that large in a single revaluation year can swing household tax bills hard. Board chair Susan Evans said the shorter cycle should “help smooth out these increases over time.”
A higher value does not automatically mean a bigger bill
This is the part most people miss. When values go up across the whole county, the tax rate does not have to stay where it is.
North Carolina law requires the county budget in a revaluation year to include a revenue-neutral tax rate for comparison. That is roughly the rate that would bring in the same revenue as the current rate would have without the revaluation, adjusted for normal growth in the tax base (G.S. 159-11(e)). It is a comparison figure. Commissioners still decide the actual rate.
So what happens to your bill depends on two things: the rate the board adopts with the next budget, and whether your home’s value rose more or less than values across the county.
What you are paying now
Wake County commissioners adopted a $2.28 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 on June 1, 2026. It set the county property tax rate at 53.71 cents per $100 of assessed value, a 2-cent increase that the county says will raise an additional $62 million.
The county’s own example: the increase adds $90 a year to the bill on a $450,000 home. At the full 53.71-cent rate, the county portion of that same bill comes to about $2,417 a year. Towns and fire districts add their own rates on top.
The budget includes $25.3 million more for the Wake County Public School System, and the county puts its total investment in education operating costs at $823 million. 2026 property tax bills are due January 5, 2027.
How to challenge your new value
Start with the notice itself. Check the basic facts the county has on file for your home, and if something looks wrong, contact the county’s revaluation team at 919-857-3800 or [email protected].
You also have a formal route. Each county has a Board of Equalization and Review, and it must hear any taxpayer who asks in writing for a review of their property’s listing or appraisal (G.S. 105-322). The board first meets no earlier than the first Monday in April and no later than the first Monday in May, and the county has to publish notice before that first meeting. Watch for Wake County’s 2027 dates.
The strongest evidence is usually recent sales of homes that are genuinely similar to yours. A number that simply feels too high is not enough.
If you are thinking about selling
Your assessed value is the county’s estimate for tax purposes. It is not the price a buyer will pay, which can land above or below it. When you sell, the year’s property taxes are split between you and the buyer at closing, which our guide to taxes when selling a house in North Carolina explains.
If a new value has you rethinking whether to keep a house, we are glad to talk through your options with no pressure at (919) 205-0576.
Frequently asked questions
When is Wake County’s next property revaluation?
January 1, 2027. Wake County says owners will receive new notices of value in January 2027, and the revaluation after that is scheduled for January 1, 2029.
What is Wake County’s property tax rate for 2026?
The county rate is 53.71 cents per $100 of assessed value, adopted with the fiscal year 2027 budget on June 1, 2026. That is 2 cents higher than the year before. Town and fire district rates are added separately.
Will my taxes go up after the revaluation?
Not necessarily. In a revaluation year, state law requires the county budget to show a revenue-neutral tax rate for comparison, and commissioners set the actual rate with the next budget. Your bill depends on that rate and on how your value changed compared with values across the county.
How do I appeal my Wake County property value?
Review the details on your notice of value, and call Wake County’s revaluation team at 919-857-3800 with questions. You can also ask in writing for a hearing before the county Board of Equalization and Review.
Why did Wake County move to a shorter revaluation cycle?
Values rose 51% between 2020 and 2024, which caused large tax bill swings in the revaluation year. The county says more frequent revaluations will spread increases out more gradually.
Sources: Wake County Government, “Wake County shortens revaluation cycle” (March 17, 2025), the 2027 Revaluation FAQ, “Wake County Commissioners adopt $2.28 billion fiscal year 2027 budget” (June 1, 2026), and the 2026 Property Tax Bills page; North Carolina General Statutes 159-11(e) and 105-322. Checked September 12, 2026.
