Best Places to Retire in North Carolina for Taxes
Quick answer
The most tax friendly places to retire in North Carolina in 2026 are High Point, New Bern, and Pineville. High Point ranks first, with tax friendliness of 45. Rankings below cover 15 North Carolina cities and measure state and local tax burden on retirement income, including income, property, and sales tax, using the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue.
Find the most tax-friendly cities in this state for retirees, including locations with favorable local tax treatments. When choosing a retirement destination in North Carolina, taxes is often a top priority. The cities below are ranked by state and local tax burden on retirement income, including income, property, and sales tax, drawn from the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue and refreshed for 2026.
Source: the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue. See our full methodology and data lineage →
Ranked #1 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #2 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #3 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #4 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #5 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #6 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #7 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #8 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #9 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #10 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #11 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #12 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #13 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #14 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
Ranked #15 of 15 North Carolina cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
Tax Friendliness
45
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What is the best place to retire in North Carolina for taxes?
High Point ranks first among North Carolina retirement cities for taxes, with tax friendliness of 45. New Bern and Pineville follow closely behind. Rankings use the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue.
How does RetireCityIQ rank North Carolina cities for taxes?
Each city is scored on state and local tax burden on retirement income, including income, property, and sales tax, sourced from the Tax Foundation and state Departments of Revenue. Cities are then ordered from highest to lowest on that metric. See our methodology page for the full scoring model and data lineage.
Which North Carolina cities are covered in these taxes rankings?
These rankings cover 15 North Carolina retirement cities, including High Point, New Bern, Pineville, Durham, Shelby, and more. Each links to a full retirement guide with cost of living, taxes, healthcare, and climate data.