{"id":99738,"date":"2025-05-05T13:33:43","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T20:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?p=99738"},"modified":"2025-05-05T13:33:44","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T20:33:44","slug":"how-do-property-taxes-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a homeowner, one ongoing expense you\u2019ll need to account for is property taxes. You\u2019ll pay these taxes each year as long as you own your property. But what exactly are property taxes, and how do they work?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this Redfin article, we\u2019ll cover what property taxes are, what they\u2019re used for, and how they\u2019re calculated. Whether you\u2019re in the process of buying a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/15702\/PA\/Pittsburgh\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">home in Pittsburgh, PA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/12839\/DC\/Washington-DC\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">condo in Washington, DC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, here\u2019s everything you need to know about property taxes.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-takeaways\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Property taxes are based on your home\u2019s value and its location.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These taxes support the local government and are used for infrastructure, schools, and other systems.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Property tax amounts may change every year based on local tax laws and your home\u2019s value.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-property-taxes-nbsp\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are property taxes?&nbsp;<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Property taxes are costs charged by your local government, like state, county, municipality, or township. They are based on the \u201creal property\u201d you own, which is your land and any structures on it, like your home. Typically, the more valuable your property is, the more you\u2019ll owe in property taxes.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-do-property-taxes-work\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do property taxes work?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Property taxes support local government operations and critical infrastructure like roads, water, sewer systems, and schools. They\u2019re determined by local and state governments and typically change each year.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your home\u2019s value is usually reevaluated each year, in some places it may be every few years, to calculate how much you owe. It\u2019s common for your property tax bill to change from year to year.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg\" alt=\"sleek white and black modern farmhouse\" class=\"wp-image-98701\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse-225x150.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse-945x630.jpg 945w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-are-property-values-determined\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How are property values determined?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To calculate property taxes, the county assessor first must determine the market <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/what-is-my-home-worth\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">value of your home<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. They use one or more of the following methods.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Sales comparison method:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The assessor reviews the sales prices of similar homes in your area to value your property, and adjusts based on any renovations and other factors specific to the home.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Cost method:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This method estimates the cost to rebuild your home using current labor and material prices, then adjusts for depreciation.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Income method:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The assessor evaluates how much you could potentially earn from renting the property, factoring in the costs of insurance, taxes, maintenance, and property management.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After determining the home&#8217;s market value, the assessor applies an assessment rate to calculate the portion of value that is taxable. This is rate varies by tax jurisdiction.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-are-property-taxes-calculated\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How are property taxes calculated?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the taxable value is determined, the local government deducts any qualifying exemptions and then applies the millage rate (also known as the mill rate or mill levy).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-deduct-any-qualifying-exemptions\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deduct any qualifying exemptions<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some exemptions can reduce your property tax bill:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Agricultural exemption:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Your local government may offer exemptions if you use your home for agricultural purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Homestead exemption: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduces property takes for homeowners who use the home as their primary residence.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A homestead exemption is only available in some states and may have age restrictions.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Homeowners with disabilities exemption:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You may qualify for an exemption that reduces or eliminates the property taxes you owe.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Senior citizens exemption:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If you\u2019re a senior citizen living on a fixed income, you may qualify for an exemption.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Veterans exemption<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Veterans or active duty service members may qualify for a tax reduction, depending on location.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-apply-the-mill-rate\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apply the mill rate<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once any exemptions are applied to the property\u2019s assessed value, the mill rate is used to calculate the property tax.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One mill equals $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. For example, if a property is assessed at $700,000, a levy of one mill would result in a tax of $700.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your city, county, and school district have the right to tax the properties within the area. These taxes, often known as levies, add up to calculate the total mill rate for any given property.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-do-you-pay-property-taxes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When do you pay property taxes?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three ways you can pay property taxes &#8211; monthly, quarterly, or in full. If you pay monthly, your property taxes will likely be included in your mortgage payments. Your mortgage servicer will set aside the property taxes and pay it will the bill is due.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your other options are to pay your property taxes quarterly or in full. You\u2019ll likely pay directly to your local tax office. Keep in mind that each year\u2019s taxes are paid the following year.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-effective-property-tax-rates-by-state\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effective property tax rates by state<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Property taxes vary by area and fluctuate based on local laws and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/us-housing-market\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">housing market<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> conditions. One way to estimate property taxes is by looking at your state\u2019s effective tax rate.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The effective tax rate is the average property tax paid as a percentage of your home\u2019s value. Below is a table of the 2023 effective tax rates by state from <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/taxfoundation.org\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TaxFoundation.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ranked from highest to lowest rates.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><b>State<\/b><\/td><td><b>2023 Effective Tax Rate<\/b><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Jersey<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2.23%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Illinois<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2.07%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Connecticut<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.92%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Hampshire<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.77%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vermont<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.71%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New York<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.60%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Texas<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.58%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wisconsin<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.51%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nebraska<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.50%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iowa<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.43%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ohio<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.36%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pennsylvania<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.35%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rhode Island<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.32%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kansas<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.30%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Michigan<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.28%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alaska<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.14%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Massachusetts<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.11%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maine<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.10%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Dakota<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.09%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minnesota<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.04%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maryland<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1.00%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">North Dakota<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.99%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Missouri<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.88%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Washington<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.84%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oregon<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.83%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oklahoma<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.82%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Georgia<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.81%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Florida<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.79%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kentucky<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.77%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Montana<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.75%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Virginia<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.74%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indiana<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.74%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mississippi<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.74%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Mexico<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.72%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">California<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.71%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">North Carolina<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.70%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wyoming<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.58%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">District of Columbia<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.58%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arkansas<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.57%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Louisiana<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.55%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tennessee<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.55%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">West Virginia<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.54%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Idaho<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.53%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Utah<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.53%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Delaware<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.53%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arizona<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.52%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Carolina<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.51%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Colorado<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.49%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevada<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.49%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alabama<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.38%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hawaii<\/span><\/td><td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">0.27%<\/span><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88486\" src=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/COLSanAn.jpg\" alt=\"Redfin Listing in San Antonio, TX\" width=\"1200\" height=\"798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/COLSanAn.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/COLSanAn-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/COLSanAn-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/COLSanAn-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/COLSanAn-226x150.jpg 226w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/COLSanAn-947x630.jpg 947w, https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/COLSanAn-451x300.jpg 451w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faqs-about-property-taxes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FAQs about property taxes<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-states-have-the-highest-property-taxes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What states have the highest property taxes?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut have the highest property taxes. The effective tax rates in 2023 were 2.23% (New Jersey), 2.07% (Illinois), and 1.92% (Connecticut).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-states-have-the-lowest-property-taxes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What states have the lowest property taxes?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hawaii, Alabama, Nevada, and Colorado have the lowest property taxes. The effective tax rates in 2023 were 0.27% (Hawaii), 0.38% (Alabama), and 0.49% (Nevada and Colorado).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-do-you-pay-property-taxes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you pay property taxes?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many homeowners pay their property taxes with their monthly mortgage payments. You can also pay them through your local tax office.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-can-you-appeal-a-property-tax-assessment\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you appeal a property tax assessment?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can file a tax appeal, but it\u2019s important to consult a lawyer. The county board will review your property information, compare it to the most recent assessment and tax bill, and decide. You may learn about the decision immediately, or it could take a few months.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-happens-if-you-don-t-pay-property-taxes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What happens if you don\u2019t pay property taxes?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may incur penalties or interest. Eventually, your local government can place a lien on your property. When you sell, the unpaid taxes must be paid before you receive the proceeds.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-are-property-taxes-deductible-on-your-tax-returns\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are property taxes deductible on your tax returns?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, in most cases, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/tax-benefits-of-owning-a-home\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">property taxes are deductible<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Through the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction, you can deduct two of three types of taxes paid throughout the year (property, income, or sales). You can deduct up to $10,000 ($5,000 if filing separately).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-do-you-stop-paying-property-taxes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When do you stop paying property taxes?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll continue to pay property taxes as long as you own the home. Even if you\u2019ve paid off the mortgage, you\u2019ll still pay property taxes. However, around the ages of 61 to 65, you may begin to qualify for certain property tax exemptions.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Property taxes are costs that support your local government and are paid each year. Find out how property taxes work and how they\u2019re calculated. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":537,"featured_media":98701,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[34277],"tags":[34629,34630],"coauthors":[33440],"class_list":["post-99738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance","tag-first-time-homebuyer","tag-homeownership-costs-and-benefits"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.7 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work? | Redfin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Property taxes are costs that support your local government and are paid each year. Find out how property taxes work and how they\u2019re calculated.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Property taxes are costs that support your local government and are paid each year. Find out how property taxes work and how they\u2019re calculated.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/redfin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-05T20:33:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-05T20:33:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alison Bentley\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@redfin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@redfin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alison Bentley\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Alison Bentley\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/de53ec0145e2448ed553d0dbfa6b3574\"},\"headline\":\"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-05T20:33:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-05T20:33:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1172,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"first time homebuyer\",\"homeownership costs and benefits\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Finance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"copyrightYear\":\"2025\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/\",\"name\":\"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work? | Redfin\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-05T20:33:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-05T20:33:44+00:00\",\"description\":\"Property taxes are costs that support your local government and are paid each year. Find out how property taxes work and how they\u2019re calculated.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/02\\\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"sleek white and black modern farmhouse\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/how-do-property-taxes-work\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More\",\"description\":\"Real estate on Wall Street, Main Street and your street.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Redfin\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/Redfin-logo-512x512-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/Redfin-logo-512x512-1.jpg\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Redfin\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/redfin\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/redfin\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/redfinrealestate\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/redfin\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/redfin\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCMIuo1QSGcmWnevT9jdC_Ow\",\"https:\\\/\\\/en.wikipedia.org\\\/wiki\\\/Redfin\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/de53ec0145e2448ed553d0dbfa6b3574\",\"name\":\"Alison Bentley\",\"description\":\"Alison is part of the Content Marketing team as a Marketing Program Manager. In her 5 years at Redfin, Alison has written a variety of articles ranging from home design tips to housing affordability, and specializes in first-time homebuyer and seller resources. A California-native, Alison currently resides in Seattle where you can find her catching a concert or exploring farmers\u2019 markets. Her dream home is a cottage-style house with a chef\u2019s kitchen and a cozy room to store and play vinyl records.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.redfin.com/blog\\\/author\\\/alison-bentley\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work? | Redfin","description":"Property taxes are costs that support your local government and are paid each year. Find out how property taxes work and how they\u2019re calculated.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work?","og_description":"Property taxes are costs that support your local government and are paid each year. Find out how property taxes work and how they\u2019re calculated.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/","og_site_name":"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/redfin","article_published_time":"2025-05-05T20:33:43+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-05-05T20:33:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Alison Bentley","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@redfin","twitter_site":"@redfin","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alison Bentley","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/"},"author":{"name":"Alison Bentley","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/de53ec0145e2448ed553d0dbfa6b3574"},"headline":"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work?","datePublished":"2025-05-05T20:33:43+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-05T20:33:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/"},"wordCount":1172,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg","keywords":["first time homebuyer","homeownership costs and benefits"],"articleSection":["Finance"],"inLanguage":"en-US","copyrightYear":"2025","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/","name":"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work? | Redfin","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg","datePublished":"2025-05-05T20:33:43+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-05T20:33:44+00:00","description":"Property taxes are costs that support your local government and are paid each year. Find out how property taxes work and how they\u2019re calculated.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sleek-white-and-black-modern-farmhouse.jpg","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"sleek white and black modern farmhouse"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/how-do-property-taxes-work\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What are Property Taxes and How Do They Work?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/","name":"Redfin | Real Estate Tips for Home Buying, Selling &amp; More","description":"Real estate on Wall Street, Main Street and your street.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Redfin","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Redfin-logo-512x512-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Redfin-logo-512x512-1.jpg","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Redfin"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/redfin","https:\/\/x.com\/redfin","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/redfinrealestate\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/redfin","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/redfin\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCMIuo1QSGcmWnevT9jdC_Ow","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Redfin"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/de53ec0145e2448ed553d0dbfa6b3574","name":"Alison Bentley","description":"Alison is part of the Content Marketing team as a Marketing Program Manager. In her 5 years at Redfin, Alison has written a variety of articles ranging from home design tips to housing affordability, and specializes in first-time homebuyer and seller resources. A California-native, Alison currently resides in Seattle where you can find her catching a concert or exploring farmers\u2019 markets. Her dream home is a cottage-style house with a chef\u2019s kitchen and a cozy room to store and play vinyl records.","url":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/author\/alison-bentley\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/537"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99738"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100474,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99738\/revisions\/100474"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/98701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99738"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=99738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}