Local taxes and fees in Wilmington topped $2,125 per person in the 2008 budget year, according to a new John Locke Foundation report. That total placed Wilmington at No. 5 in a ranking of the state’s larger cities.

Charlotte topped the rankings again in 2008, followed by Mooresville, Asheville, and Chapel Hill. The list compared 32 municipalities with at least 25,000 residents. Jacksonville, Indian Trail, Thomasville, Fayetteville, and Goldsboro ranked lowest among the larger cities. Jacksonville, at $1,092 per person, ranked No. 32.