© 2025. Randolph Hub. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome!

Level Cross Fire Dept station 43 photographed in 2023. (Acme News Archive)

Fire District Tax Rates Are Going Up for Five Districts in Randolph County

ASHEBORO — Property tax rates are increasing for five fire districts in Randolph County following a vote by county commissioners last month. The new rates took effect July 1.

At the Board of Commissioners’ budget close-out meeting on June 16, 2025, the board approved rate increases for the Eastside, Westside, Level Cross, Randleman, and Climax (Piedmont Central) fire districts.

Property tax rates are calculated per $100 of assessed property value. In Randolph County, the median property value was $171,600 according to 2023 Census data. Based on that value, a 1-cent increase in the tax rate would add $17.16 to the annual tax bill, a 2-cent increase would add $34.32, and a 3-cent increase would result in an additional $51.48 per year.

Eastside Fire District
The Eastside Fire Department requested an increase from 15 cents to 17 cents. Officials cited the need to hire additional personnel to keep pace with rising call volumes and to help maintain the district’s fire insurance rating, which is tied to residents’ insurance premiums.

Westside Fire District 
Westside Fire Department was approved for a one-cent increase, moving the rate from 15 to 16 cents. Commissioners noted that WSFD had not seen a tax rate increase since 2021 and cited growing operational costs as the reason for the adjustment.

Level Cross Fire District
The Level Cross Volunteer Fire Department initially requested an increase from 15 to 18 cents, but commissioners opted for a more gradual adjustment, approving a 2-cent hike instead. Commissioner Hope Haywood said the final rate of 17 cents reflects concerns that a full 3-cent jump might be too steep in a single year for taxpayers.

Randleman/Sophia Fire District
The Randleman Fire Department received an increase from 15 to 17 cents. The department is experiencing a 25% year-over-year growth in call volume and a need to hire more staff to maintain response timing and coverage.

Climax Fire District 
The Climax Fire Department, which merged with Pleasant Garden on July 1 to form the new Central Piedmont Fire Department, also saw a rate change. The new department now serves a 75-square-mile area across Guilford and Randolph counties. As part of the transition, the fire tax rate for the Randolph County portion of the former Climax district increased from 17.63 to 18 cents—the highest rate of any fire district in the county. According to department officials, the increase reflects growing service demands, a sharp rise in emergency call volume, the need to upgrade equipment, and efforts to recruit and retain paid personnel amid a continued decline in volunteers.