Greensboro, NC vs Raleigh, NC: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Raleigh, NC is the higher-tax metro at 7.25%, versus 7% in Greensboro, NC. The 0.25% gap works out to $0.25 on a $100 purchase, $2.50 on $1,000 and $62.50 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.25%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $2.50Paid in Raleigh
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $62.50Vehicle-sized purchase
Greensboro, NC
Guilford County
7%
Combined rate · ranked #68 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | North Carolina state | 4.75% |
| county | Guilford County | 2.25% |
- Population
- 302,296
- Median household income
- $60,733
Guilford County levies an extra quarter-cent for education, so Greensboro is a quarter point above the standard 6.75% most North Carolina counties charge.
Raleigh, NC
Wake County
7.25%
Combined rate · ranked #62 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | North Carolina state | 4.75% |
| county | Wake County | 2% |
| special district | Wake transit tax | 0.5% |
- Population
- 482,295
- Median household income
- $87,263
Wake County matched Mecklenburg's transit half-cent in 2017, so Raleigh and Charlotte now charge the same combined rate.
How the difference is calculated
Same arithmetic the calculator on every page runs.
Each combined rate is the sum of its listed state, county, city and special-district components — no rounding is applied before the total. The dollar gap is the rate difference (0.25%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.25% of $1,000 is $2.50. Neither figure includes product-specific exemptions; groceries, clothing and digital goods can be taxed at a different rate or not at all, which is covered on each state's rules page.
Questions people ask
Direct answers to the questions this comparison raises.
Which has a higher sales tax rate, Greensboro or Raleigh?
Raleigh, NC at 7.25%, versus 7% in Greensboro, NC.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Raleigh on a $1,000 purchase?
About $2.50 more, and roughly $62.50 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do Greensboro and Raleigh have different rates?
The state share is 4.75% in NC and 4.75% in NC. The rest comes from county, city and special-district increments stacked on top, which are set locally and listed in full on this page.
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