<ARTICLE>                                                        6
 
 <CIK>                                       0000764860
 
 <NAME>                                      FLAGSHIP NORTH
                                             CAROLINA DOUBLE TAX
                                             EXEMPT FUND

 <SERIES>
 
 <NUMBER>                                                       053
 
 <NAME>                                      CLASS C
 
 <MULTIPLIER>                                                     1

        
 
                                          
 <PERIOD-TYPE>                               YEAR
 
 <FISCAL-YEAR-END>                           MAY-31-1996
 
 <PERIOD-START>                              JUN-01-1995

 <PERIOD-END>                                MAY-31-1996
 
 <INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                                  183,091,029
 
 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                                 189,199,733
 
 <RECEIVABLES>                                            3,962,808
 
 <ASSETS-OTHER>                                              11,888

 <OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                             0
 
 <TOTAL-ASSETS>                                         193,174,429
 
 <PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                                         0
 
 <SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                          0

 <OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                                1,568,613
 
 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                      1,568,613
 
 <SENIOR-EQUITY>                                                  0
 
 <PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                               188,467,956
 
 <SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                      656,837

 <SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                      592,086
 
 <ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                                        0
 
 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                           0
 
 <ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                                (2,970,844)

 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                         0
 
 <ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                                 6,108,704
 
 <NET-ASSETS>                                           191,605,816
 
 <DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                                0
 
 <INTEREST-INCOME>                                       12,311,088

 <OTHER-INCOME>                                                   0
 
 <EXPENSES-NET>                                         (1,758,768)
 
 <NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                                 10,552,320
 
 <REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                                 2,647,708

 <APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                              (6,091,694)
 
 <NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                                    7,108,334
 
 <EQUALIZATION>                                                   0
 
 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                                (329,070)
 
 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                                         0

 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                            0
 
 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                                    232,489
 
 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                              (187,452)
 
 <SHARES-REINVESTED>                                         19,714

 <NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                                     540,444
 
 <ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                          0
 
 <ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                              (5,618,552)
 
 <OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                          0 
 
 <OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                       0
 
 <GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                      993,064
 
 <INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                               0

 <GROSS-EXPENSE>                                          2,126,599
 
 <AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                                   198,070,154
 
 <PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                        10.22
 
 <PER-SHARE-NII>                                               0.49
 
 <PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                     (0.18)

 <PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                        (0.50)
 
 <PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                                     0.00
 
 <RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                          0.00
 
 <PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                          10.03

 <EXPENSE-RATIO>                                               1.45
 
 <AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                                     365,100
 
 <AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                          0.02