July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
Raleigh's FY2027 budget, in plain English
Where Raleigh's money comes from, where it goes, and what the city charges a typical home in taxes and fees. Every number comes straight from the city's budget book; page numbers link to the source.
Adopted budget. The City Council adopted it on June 8, 2026, as proposed, including the 1.7-cent tax increase.
- Total budget
- $1.77 billion
-0.9% from last year, mainly because FY26 was the final year of the 2020 Housing Bond p. 52
What will you pay the city?
For a home at Raleigh's median value of $391,724, the city's own table p. 50:
| City tax or fee, per year | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property Tax | $1,390 | $1,457 | $67 (+4.8%) |
| Solid Waste Fees | $311 | $342 | $31 (+10.0%) |
| Average Water and Sewer Fee | $664 | $685 | $21 (+3.2%) |
| Average Stormwater Fee | $99 | $102 | $3 (+3.0%) |
| Total city taxes and fees | $2,464 | $2,586 | $122 (+5.0%) |
Monthly fees for FY2027: water and sewer about $57.10 for the average home (+3.1%), stormwater $8.47(+3.0%), and trash, recycling and yard waste $28.50(+9.8%).
Try your own home
Find it on your Wake County tax bill or the county's real estate search. Fees below are the city's figures for a typical home; your water bill depends on use.
| FY2026 | FY2027 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh property tax | $1,391 | $1,457 | $67 |
| Solid Waste Fees | $311 | $342 | $31 |
| Water and Sewer Fee | $664 | $685 | $21 |
| Stormwater Fee | $99 | $102 | $3 |
| Total per year | $2,465 | $2,586 | +$122 |
City charges only. Wake County property tax is billed on top: see the property tax section on the town page.
Where your property tax goes
The 37.2¢ rate on about $111.5 billion of property raises $410.3 million p. 49. Each cent of the rate brings in about $11 million (our arithmetic: the total divided by the rate). It's split three ways:
Where all of the city's money comes from
$1.77 billion across every city fund, after removing money moved between funds p. 53.
Fees include water and sewer, stormwater, trash, parking and the convention center. Bond revenue is borrowing approved by voters, mostly for parks this year.
Compared with last year (FY2026)
| FY2026 | FY2027 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total budget, all funds FY2026 p. 54 p. 52 | $1.78 billion | $1.77 billion | -0.9% |
| Property tax rate, per $100 FY2026 p. 51 p. 49 | 35.5¢ | 37.2¢ | +4.8% |
| Taxable value of real property (the city's estimate) | $118.8 billion | $111.5 billion | -6.1% |
| Five-year capital plan FY2026 p. 269 p. 271 | $2.5 billion | $2 billion | -20.0% |
| Capital spending in the first year | $616.9 million | $503.4 million | -18.4% |
Money coming in, by source FY2026 p. 55 p. 53
| Source | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee Revenue | $482.4 million | $507.5 million | +5.2% |
| Property Tax | $427.4 million | $443.7 million | +3.8% |
| Bond Revenue | $292.7 million | $250.3 million | -14.5% |
| Sales Tax | $157 million | $166.6 million | +6.1% |
| Intergovernmental | $250.9 million | $156.7 million | -37.5% |
| Fund Balance & Special Reserve | $63.9 million | $83.1 million | +30.1% |
| Investment Income | $38 million | $46.7 million | +23.0% |
| Franchise Tax | $34.9 million | $38.8 million | +11.2% |
| Internal Service Fund (ISF) Revenue | – | $37.7 million | new line |
| Licenses | $14.8 million | $13.9 million | -6.1% |
| Miscellaneous Revenue | $12.5 million | $12.4 million | -0.7% |
| Facility Fees | $5 million | $7.6 million | +51.8% |
Figures as printed in each year's adopted budget book. The FY2027 totals include two internal funds (insurance and fleet) that earlier books left out p. 52, which is why that revenue line is new.
What property tax pays for: the General Fund
The General Fund is the part of the budget paid mainly by property and sales tax: $652.8 million in FY2027 p. 67.
| Area | FY2025 actual | FY2026 adopted | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Safety | $241.1 million | $261.5 million | $280.8 million | +7.4% |
| Infrastructure & Public Services | $95.5 million | $107.2 million | $114 million | +6.4% |
| Leisure Services | $67.1 million | $79.4 million | $83.8 million | +5.6% |
| General Government | $63.9 million | $76.4 million | $82.5 million | +7.9% |
| Agency Appropriations | $4 million | $4.4 million | $4.6 million | +4.2% |
| Special Appropriations | $251.1 million | $128.3 million | $87.2 million | -32.1% |
| Total | $722.7 million | $657.1 million | $652.8 million |
"Special Appropriations" falls mostly because money set aside for capital projects is now budgeted directly in the capital funds instead of passing through the General Fund, an accounting change the budget book describes.
The five-year capital plan: pipes, parks, streets and buildings
Separate from day-to-day spending, the city plans $2 billion of construction and equipment over FY2027 to FY2031, $503.4 million of it in the first year p. 271. Only the first year is actually budgeted; the later years are the city's plan and can change. By area:
The biggest items
| As named in the budget book | Area | FY2027 | Five years |
|---|---|---|---|
| RP FY24-26 Main Replacement p. 330 | Raleigh Water | $36 million | $165.4 million |
| EMJWTP Filter Expansion p. 329 | Raleigh Water | – | $100.3 million |
| EMJWTP Raw Water Main p. 329 | Raleigh Water | – | $74 million |
| Jones Sausage 36in TM p. 333 | Raleigh Water | $6 million | $66.5 million |
| Walnut Creek Interceptor Parallel p. 328 | Raleigh Water | – | $65 million |
| Street Resurfacing p. 317 | Transportation | $11.7 million | $58.2 million |
| Ozone Expansion p. 329 | Raleigh Water | – | $48 million |
| Upper West Neuse Interceptor p. 330 | Raleigh Water | $3 million | $46 million |
| John Chavis Memorial Park Ph2 p. 309 | Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources | $43.7 million | $43.7 million |
| Chemical Campus Expansion p. 329 | Raleigh Water | – | $41 million |
| Rental Development p. 296 | Housing | $7.6 million | $38 million |
| East Raleigh Wastewater Conveyance p. 331 | Raleigh Water | $36.8 million | $36.8 million |
Per the budget book, property tax doesn't pay for the utilities' cash-funded capital work (water, sewer, stormwater and other city enterprises); their customers' fees do p. 49. "Main Replacement" is the ongoing program to replace aging water and sewer pipes; "EMJWTP" is the E.M. Johnson water treatment plant.
See where these projects are on the development map (turn on "Public Projects"). Where we could match a mapped project to a line in this plan, its summary includes the dollar amount and page.
Where the city is adding and cutting jobs
4,592 positions last year, 4,648 this year (+56.37) p. 55.
Adding
- +27 Police
- +20 Solid Waste
- +15 Fire
- +11 Office of Special Services
- +11 Engineering Services
- +6 Emergency Communications
- +4.5 Transportation Services
- +1 Community Engagement
- +1 Human Resources
- +0.13 Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources
Cutting
- -12 Planning and Development Services
- -10 Raleigh Water
- -8.75 Office of the City Manager
- -2 Economic and Social Advancement
- -2 Housing and Community Development
- -1 Budget and Management Services
- -1 City Clerk
- -1 Finance
- -1 Office of Internal Audit
- -1 Office of Strategy and Innovation
- -0.5 Convention Center Complex
Grants to non-profit groups
The city gives grants to non-profits through three programs: arts, human services and community enhancement. Groups apply each year, and a request can be at most a quarter of the group's prior-year spending p. 107.
Arts groups: $1,955,803 this year to 36 groups p. 110
Chosen by grant panels of the Raleigh Arts Commission. The city sets the arts budget as a per-person amount ($2,499,125 in all, including Arts Commission programs).
| Group | Last year | Asked for | This year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artspace | $165,521 | $175,000 | $167,125 |
| PineCone | $164,413 | $175,000 | $162,969 |
| Artsplosure | $144,515 | $175,000 | $157,371 |
| NC Opera | $146,215 | $175,000 | $136,325 |
| Community Music School | $117,170 | $149,500 | $134,083 |
| Burning Coal Theatre Company | $111,325 | $122,000 | $116,516 |
| Triangle Youth Music | $80,808 | $155,000 | $107,300 |
| Arts Together | $133,050 | $145,000 | $102,612 |
| NC Master Chorale | $91,745 | $100,000 | $95,500 |
| North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre | $84,062 | $97,564 | $90,165 |
| Justice Theater Project, The | $89,640 | $90,500 | $84,509 |
| Theatre Raleigh | $75,598 | $100,000 | $83,439 |
| African American Cultural Festival | $73,951 | $90,000 | $79,575 |
| Visual Art Exchange | – | $59,000 | $47,815 |
| Chamber Music Raleigh | $39,657 | $64,006 | $43,378 |
| Raleigh Youth Choir | $38,377 | $50,000 | $41,119 |
| El Pueblo | $33,498 | $35,000 | $31,508 |
| Arts Access | $46,884 | $40,000 | $27,900 |
| Raleigh Little Theatre | $24,393 | $35,000 | $24,180 |
| Contemporary Art Foundation | $44,464 | $135,000 | $24,000 |
| NC Chamber Music Institute, The | $22,228 | $24,999 | $22,838 |
| Educational Growth Across Oceans | $21,480 | $24,999 | $19,680 |
| Raleigh Ringers, The | $19,062 | $24,000 | $19,570 |
| Black Box Dance Theatre (new applicant) | – | $15,000 | $14,022 |
| NC Museum of History Foundation | – | $15,000 | $13,680 |
| Raleigh Music Collective | $12,768 | $15,000 | $13,445 |
| NC State LIVE | $12,182 | $15,000 | $13,222 |
| Pure Life Theatre Company | $13,000 | $15,000 | $12,675 |
| TheGifted Arts | $12,571 | $15,000 | $12,514 |
| Redbud Writing Project (new applicant) | – | $15,000 | $12,459 |
| NC State University Theatre | $11,713 | $15,000 | $12,441 |
| Nuv Yug Cultural Organization | $10,584 | $12,750 | $10,166 |
| ShopSpace | $11,303 | $15,000 | $9,994 |
| Cultural Voice of NC | $9,526 | $10,410 | $7,433 |
| Diamante Arts & Cultural Center | – | $13,100 | $3,275 |
| Raleigh Film and Art Festival | – | $1,500 | $1,000 |
| Small School (new applicant) | – | $15,000 | not funded |
| Mama Afrika Festival (new applicant) | – | $7,500 | not funded |
| Little Raleigh Radio | $1,452 | $1,085 | not funded |
| Cardinal Singers (new applicant) | – | $1,000 | not funded |
| Raleigh-Durham Skaters Assocation (new applicant) | – | $1,000 | not funded |
| Raleigh Civic Symphony Association | $1,142 | – | not funded |
Performing arts agreements: $588,567 this year to 4 groups p. 111
Lease or operating agreements with four performing arts groups.
| Group | Last year | Asked for | This year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Ballet | $250,000 | – | $250,000 |
| NC Symphony | $200,000 | – | $200,000 |
| Raleigh Little Theatre | $94,248 | – | $94,248 |
| Theatre In The Park | $44,319 | – | $44,319 |
Human service groups: $911,350 this year to 39 groups p. 115
Chosen by the Human Relations Commission, for groups serving older adults, youth, people with disabilities or substance use disorders, and people experiencing homelessness.
| Group | Last year | Asked for | This year |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hope Center at Pullen | $41,000 | $60,000 | $43,068 |
| Salvation Army | $43,765 | $125,000 | $42,500 |
| Diaper Train (new applicant) | – | $100,000 | $42,500 |
| Step Up Ministry | $46,400 | $100,000 | $42,500 |
| Southlight Healthcare | $46,025 | $75,000 | $42,500 |
| Advance Community Health | $46,550 | $74,200 | $42,500 |
| Family Promise of Wake Co. | – | $58,450 | $42,500 |
| The Green Chair Project | – | $50,000 | $42,500 |
| Note in the Pocket | $26,000 | $40,000 | $34,000 |
| Southeast Raleigh Promise (new applicant) | – | $175,000 | $30,000 |
| Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC (new applicant) | – | $120,000 | $30,000 |
| Meals On Wheels | – | $75,000 | $30,000 |
| Women’s Center | $46,400 | $75,000 | $30,000 |
| Alliance of Disability Advocates (new applicant) | – | $65,000 | $30,000 |
| Autism Society of NC | $19,051 | $50,000 | $30,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Wake County | $35,000 | $50,000 | $30,000 |
| Urban Ministries | $29,000 | $48,000 | $28,800 |
| Young Men’s Christian Assoc. | $33,750 | $45,000 | $27,000 |
| Oak City Cares | – | $40,000 | $24,000 |
| NC Down Syndrome Alliance | $11,890 | $50,000 | $22,500 |
| Boys & Girls Club | $18,750 | $25,000 | $21,250 |
| Safechild | – | $25,000 | $21,250 |
| NAMI Wake County | – | $24,999 | $21,249 |
| The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education (new applicant) | – | $24,863 | $21,134 |
| Alliance of Aids Services | $18,000 | $22,500 | $19,125 |
| Alliance Medical Ministry | $18,750 | $25,000 | $15,000 |
| Darkness Rising Projects Inc. | $23,275 | $24,910 | $14,946 |
| Designed For Joy (new applicant) | – | $24,000 | $14,400 |
| Loaves & Fishes Ministry | $23,275 | $24,500 | $11,025 |
| Haven House | $18,000 | $24,000 | $10,800 |
| Triangle Family Services | – | $24,000 | $10,800 |
| Community Partnership | $33,250 | $37,050 | $8,892 |
| Planned Parenthood So Atlantic | $7,500 | $15,000 | $6,750 |
| Activate Good (new applicant) | – | $24,214 | $5,811 |
| InterAct | $4,500 | $278,543 | $4,500 |
| Healing Transitions | $4,500 | $150,000 | $4,500 |
| Interfaith Food Shuttle | $4,500 | $100,000 | $4,500 |
| TLC Operations | $4,500 | $100,000 | $4,500 |
| FIGS of Wake County | $8,539 | $9,000 | $4,050 |
| SHIP Outreach and Community Center (new applicant) | – | $150,000 | not funded |
| Learning Together | $46,400 | $127,992 | not funded |
| Arise Collective | $46,400 | $75,000 | not funded |
| Covenant Life Fellowship (new applicant) | – | $70,000 | not funded |
| Community Success Initiative | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Wake Smiles | $12,500 | $50,000 | not funded |
| Comm in School of Wake Co | $26,015 | $40,000 | not funded |
| Families Together | $28,500 | $30,000 | not funded |
| Fellowship Home of Raleigh | – | $30,000 | not funded |
| Triangle Golf Foundation | $22,500 | $30,000 | not funded |
| Raleigh Area Land Trust (new applicant) | – | $25,000 | not funded |
| Bolstering Health | – | $24,999 | not funded |
| CORRAL Riding Academy | – | $24,992 | not funded |
| JLBC Community Alliance Inc. | – | $24,500 | not funded |
| Garner Rd Community Center | – | $20,000 | not funded |
| Public Safety Action Committee | – | $20,000 | not funded |
| Prevent Blindness of NC | $12,375 | $18,000 | not funded |
| Made4Me (new applicant) | – | $16,200 | not funded |
| 100 Black Men of Triangle East | – | $15,000 | not funded |
| House of Friendship (new applicant) | – | $6,000 | not funded |
| Active Adventure, Inc. | $3,750 | $2,000 | not funded |
| Triangle Disability & Autism Services, Inc. | $11,890 | – | not funded |
| Wake Enterprises | $6,000 | – | not funded |
Human service groups, set by the City Council: $546,000 this year to 7 groups p. 116
Extra General Fund support for groups the council has funded in past years.
| Group | Last year | Asked for | This year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healing Transitions | $95,500 | – | $95,500 |
| Interfaith Food Shuttle | $95,500 | – | $95,500 |
| Tammy Lynn Center | $95,500 | – | $95,500 |
| CASA | $89,000 | – | $89,000 |
| InterAct | $70,500 | – | $70,500 |
| Legal Aid Of North Carolina | $50,000 | – | $50,000 |
| Wake Legal Support Center | $50,000 | – | $50,000 |
Community enhancement: $200,000 this year to 4 groups p. 113
Federal Community Development Block Grant money passed through to non-profits.
| Group | Last year | Asked for | This year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Years | – | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Family Promise | – | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| InterAct | – | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| The Women’s Center of Wake Co | – | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Autism Society of North Carolina | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Entryway Talent | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Families Together | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Habitat for Humanity Wake Co | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Healing Transitions | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Inter-Faith Food Shuttle | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Lutheran Services Carolinas | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Oak City Cares | $50,000 | $50,000 | not funded |
| StepUp Ministry | $50,000 | $50,000 | not funded |
| The Green Chair Project | $50,000 | $50,000 | not funded |
| The Hope Center at Pullen | – | $50,000 | not funded |
| Whole Man Ministries | – | $49,896 | not funded |
| Fair Chance North Carolina | – | $24,995 | not funded |
| Housing Options for Students Today | – | $24,900 | not funded |
| Place of Impact | – | $20,000 | not funded |
| Consumer Education Services | $50,000 | – | not funded |
Some groups appear in more than one program. "Asked for" is blank where the amount is set by agreement rather than by application.
City debt
As of June 30, 2025, the city owed $1.35 billion in debt backed by its taxing power, about 1.1% of the value of property in the city. State law caps that at 8% ($9.54 billion) p. 365. Credit rating: AAA from Moody's (Aaa), S&P and Fitch, held since 1973 p. 366.
Payments on debt this year: $248 million, up from $226.9 million p. 367.
Per the budget book, general government debt is paid mainly with property tax and other general revenue; utility debt (Raleigh Water and the other city enterprises) is paid from customers' fees.
Look it up on the city's site
Sources
- City of Raleigh Adopted Budget FY2027
- FY2027 Budget in Brief
- Budget and Management Services (all of the city's budget documents)
Figures are copied from the city's published tables by software and checked so totals add up; summaries are ours. This page is information, not financial or tax advice. Your bill depends on your home's tax value and usage.