Washington · Property Tax

Washington Property Tax by County

Washington has counties operating under a county-driven assessment system. Effective property tax rates run ~0.94% statewide median — slightly below the national average — with revenue load split between property tax and sales tax (no state income tax).

Why move here

no state income tax
Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption (income-tested AV reduction)
Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption
Seattle tech employment (Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing)
Pacific Northwest geography (mountains, Puget Sound, rainforest, ocean)
mild climate (especially west of Cascades)
strong public services

Why not move here

sky-high Seattle housing costs
Seattle traffic + commute times
gray winters with limited daylight
earthquake risk (Cascadia subduction zone)
sales tax higher to compensate for no income tax
wildfire risk in summer (especially east of Cascades)

This almanac covers 11 of 39 Washington counties.

Average effective rate

0.97%

Tax bill ÷ market value · Across 11 covered Washington counties

National rank

#27 of 50

Ranked highest to lowest by rate · #24 from the lowest

Average annual bill

$4,525

On a typical $472,055 Washington home

State income tax

None

No state individual income tax · 7% capital gains tax on gains > $270K (no wage income tax)

Cheapest county we cover

King

Seattle · 0.85% effective rate

For retirees

Compare relief

Check eligibility, covered levies and payment timing.

For disabled veterans

Check benefits

Distinguish value exemptions from a full covered-tax exemption.

11 of 39 Washington counties covered

Vancouver · pop. 522k

Port Orchard · pop. 280k

Bellingham · pop. 234k

About this site's data and estimates. The Property Tax Almanac is an independent editorial reference. It is not affiliated with any government agency, tax assessor, or tax preparation service. The calculators and data on this site are informational and are not a substitute for advice from a qualified tax professional, attorney, or your official county assessor or appraisal district.

Accuracy, sources, and scope. Source years and review coverage vary. A record’s update date is not confirmation of its tax year. Reviewed guides identify their official sources and calculation limits; other records may have incomplete source documentation. See our methodology and review process.

How to use these estimates. Read the scope of each tool: it may use a representative district, a historical rate, or hypothetical inputs. County benchmarks are not a parcel-specific tax quote. Confirm the taxable value, taxing districts, applicable year, exemptions and additional charges with the responsible local office before relying on an estimate.

No legal or tax advice; no warranty. Nothing on this site constitutes legal, tax, financial, investment, or real estate advice. The Property Tax Almanac, its authors, and its publisher make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of the content on this site. Any reliance you place on the information is strictly at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage — including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage — arising from the use of this site or from decisions made based on its content.

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