Here’s something that may surprise you. When it comes to public utilities, the cost of Jamestown’s monthly water and sewer service is among the lowest in the state, ranking at number 222 out of 228 NC water systems and municipalities. The town of Whitsett is the most expensive, followed by Bald Head Island, Havelock and Nash County. That’s according to a 2025 Water and Wastewater Rates study conducted by the UNC School of Government, sponsored by the NC Department of Environmental Quality.

The average monthly water/sewer bill for residential water customers serviced by than 200 systems and municipalities across the state is $60.18 for 2,000 gallons (approximately 3 ccf) of water, plus sewer fees. The sewer rates are determined as a percentage of the water rate. The UNC study reports that on July 1, 2025, Jamestown’s monthly rate for 3 ccf water (plus sewer) was $29.95.*

*[My Jamestown water bills show that in 2025, the actual charge for 3 ccfs was $30.60, which moves Jamestown up three spots to number 219. In September 2025, new rates took effect that increased it to $33.60 for 3 ccf. The town also adds a flat $5 stormwater fee to monthly bills.]

I copied and parsed the data into spreadsheets by year, starting with 2025:

Looking back – in 2024 the average monthly bill for these North Carolina municipalities was $60.36 (for 3 ccf + sewer). Jamestown ranked 267 out of 276 water utilities with a monthly rate of $27.27:

In 2023, Jamestown’s ranking was 210 out of 217, monthly rate of $23.80. The average statewide was $54.91.

In 2022, only two towns charged less than Jamestown for 3 ccfs – the City of Burlington and the Town of Atlantic Beach. The average cost among 212 water systems was $52.24. Jamestown came in at number 210, with a monthly bill of $20.05.

In 2021, Jamestown’s monthly charge for 3 ccfs was $18.98, keeping us at the bottom of the list – number 188 of 190. The average monthly cost across the state was $51.09:

View the rate study dashboard here.