Do property tax appeals work in Orange County, NC?

In 2025, Orange County lowered the value in 76% of 738 appeals heard by its Board of Equalization and Review, by a median of 11.7%. Across 2023–2026, 72% of 1160 decided appeals lowered the value and 3% raised it. Past results don't predict any one appeal.

Which property tax appeals succeed in Orange County?

Appeals pointing to an error in the county's record of the home lowered the value 87% of the time; appeals arguing market value alone, 50%.

NC counties · Orange County

Do property tax appeals work in Orange County?

Usually, yes. In 2025, Orange County lowered the value in 76% of its 738 appeals heard by its Board of Equalization and Review, by a typical 11.7%.

76%

of 2025 Board appeals lowered the value

11.7%

typical cut when the value came down (2025)

1,160

decisions on record, 2023–2026

were raised instead. It happens; the board can go either way.

Year by year

Value loweredNo changeValue raised

2026 · Board hearing363 decided

234 lowered · 115 no change · 14 raised

64% lowered
typical cut 12.6%
2025 · Board hearing738 decided

558 lowered · 168 no change · 12 raised

76% lowered
typical cut 11.7%
2024 · Board hearing26 decided

16 lowered · 8 no change · 2 raised

62% lowered
typical cut 5.4%
2023 · Board hearing33 decided · 1 withdrawn

23 lowered · 8 no change · 2 raised

70% lowered
typical cut 14.5%

"Typical cut" is the median drop among values that came down. Informal review with the assessor comes first; owners who aren't satisfied go on to a hearing before the Board of Equalization and Review, so the same home can appear at both levels.

What kind of appeal works

Where Orange County's records say why the owner appealed, the difference is stark:

87%

The county's record was wrong

Wrong square footage, bedrooms, condition and similar. 599 of 689 appeals lowered the value.

50%

"It's worth less than that"

A market-value argument alone. 218 of 432 lowered the value.

What this means if you're thinking of appealing

Check the record firstA wrong square footage or bedroom count is the easiest kind of appeal to win, and the assessor can fix a factual error in any year.
Start with the informal reviewIt's quicker than a formal hearing, and if you're not satisfied you can still take it to the Board afterward.
Bring sales, not feelingsRecent sales of similar homes near yours are the evidence the board weighs. A higher tax bill alone isn't a reason it can act on.
Know it can go up3% of decisions here raised the value. Past results don't predict yours.

Start with your own record. It's free.

See exactly what Orange County has on file for your home, mark anything that's wrong, and we'll write the correction request for you to send. Then compare your value with the sales near you.

Check my home Orange County page

61%

Across North Carolina

61% of 68,197 decided appeals in 29 counties lowered the value. Compare every county.

Sources

Orange County Board of Equalization and Review minutes 2023 (published on the county's Agenda Center)
Orange County Board of Equalization and Review minutes 2024 (published on the county's Agenda Center)
Orange County Board of Equalization and Review minutes 2025 (published on the county's Agenda Center)
Orange County Board of Equalization and Review minutes 2026 (published on the county's Agenda Center)
Years with fewer than 10 decisions at a level are left out; a percentage of a handful of appeals isn't a result. Withdrawn appeals aren't counted as decided.

These are Orange County's numbers about past appeals, not a prediction for any home and not an opinion of any property's value.