Property Tax & Assessment
Current rates for the Town of Wake Forest and Wake County, how to look up your property assessment, when bills are due, and how to appeal. Most Wake Forest residents pay both town and county property tax on the same bill.
Quick Actions
Current Property Tax Rates (FY 2025–26)
Rates are quoted per $100 of assessed value. Your annual tax bill is your assessed value divided by 100, times the rate.
| Jurisdiction | Rate per $100 |
|---|---|
| Town of Wake Forest | $0.42 |
| Wake County | $0.5171 |
| Combined rate (most residents) | $0.9371 |
| Downtown Municipal Service District (if applicable) | +$0.14 |
| Franklin County portion (east of county line) | $0.5050 |
Example: a $450,000 home in Wake Forest
$450,000 ÷ 100 × $0.9371 = $4,217 per year in combined town + county property tax. Add the Downtown MSD or use the Franklin County rate if either applies to your parcel.
The Franklin County Note
A small portion of the Town of Wake Forest extends east into Franklin County. If your property sits on that side of the line, you pay the Franklin County rate ($0.5050) instead of the Wake County rate, plus the Town of Wake Forest rate (still $0.42). Total combined: about $0.9250 per $100 for the Franklin County side.
To confirm which county your parcel is in, the easiest tool is the Wake County GIS lookup (it will say “Franklin County” on Franklin parcels).
Look Up Your Property Assessment
Wake County publishes free tools that show your assessed value, deed history, zoning, and tax data for any parcel.
iMAPS (Wake County GIS) — the visual tool
Search by address, owner name, or PIN. Shows the parcel on a map plus full property data. Best for orientation.
Open Wake County Real Estate Search →Real Estate Property Search — the data tool
Cleaner table view if you already know the address or PIN and just want the assessed value and tax bill.
Open Property Search →Search and pay tax bills
Pay online without an account.
Search & Pay Tax Bills →Bill Timing
- Bills mailed: July
- Due date: January 5 of the following year
- Late interest: 2% added in January if unpaid, then 0.75% per month thereafter
Pay online at the link above, by mail to Wake County Tax Administration, or by phone with the Tax Administration office.
How to Appeal Your Assessment
If you think Wake County assessed your property at more than its market value, you can appeal.
Informal review (first step)
Contact Wake County Tax Administration directly. For revaluation years, the informal review deadline is March 1.
Formal appeal — Board of Equalization and Review
The Board of E&R opens appeals in January each year and typically adjourns in early-to-mid April. File online through the Tax Portal.
File an Appeal →Personal property appeals (vehicles, business equipment) have their own 30-day window from the initial notice of value.
Rate Context
The Town of Wake Forest rate of $0.42 per $100 has been stable across recent budget cycles. The Wake County rate dropped from $0.657 to $0.5171 after the 2024 county-wide revaluation, which reset assessed values to current market and let the county set a lower revenue-neutral rate.
The FY 2026–27 Town budget — currently in deliberation — proposes no change to the $0.42 rate, with a one-cent reduction in the Downtown Municipal Service District tax (from $0.14 to $0.13). The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on the budget June 16, 2026. See our May 19 BOC recap for the public hearing context.
Wake County FY 2026–27: the Wake County Board of Commissioners adopted a 2-cent property tax rate increase on June 1, 2026, raising the county rate to $0.5371 per $100. Combined with the Town’s $0.42, the in-town Wake Forest rate for FY 2026–27 is $0.9571 per $100.
For how property tax fits into a full Wake Forest household budget alongside utilities, childcare, healthcare, and groceries, see our Cost of Living guide.
Related Pages
- Cost of Living in Wake Forest — housing, utilities, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transportation
- Housing & Property — permits, rentals, HOA basics, market data
- Government & Civic — Mayor, BOC, budget process, public meetings
- Trash & Recycling — monthly solid waste fee and pickup schedule
Spot an error or a stale rate?
Budgets pass. Rates change. If anything on this page is wrong, drop us a tip and we will update it. For tax questions specific to your parcel, Wake County Tax Administration is the authoritative source (919-856-5400).