California Property Taxes
Real Estate Values and Property Tax Valuation in California
California has 10.0M properties with a cumulative value of $3.7T, making up 9.93% of all real estate value in the United States. Property taxes in California totaled $58.3B, with the average homeowner paying $5,946 in property taxes compared to the national average of $3,553. The average property tax rate in California is 1.58%, higher than the national average of 0.93%. Property values for tax purposes are determined by the local assessor's office, which uses a variety of methods to determine the fair market value of a property.
The property tax timeline in California begins on January 1st, when the property valuation date is set. Property value notices are then issued between June and August. Property tax appeals must be submitted by September 15th or November 30th, depending on the county. Finally, property tax bills are issued on October 1st.
Updated November 01, 2023
| Important Dates | |
|---|---|
| Property Valuation Date: | January 1st |
| Property Value Notices Issued: | June - August |
| Property Tax Appeal Deadline: | September 15 or November 30 (varies by county) |
| Property Tax Bills Issued: | October 1st |
| Real Property Tax Bill Due (1st of #): | December 10th, 1st half installment |
| Real Property Tax Bill Due (2nd of #): | April 10th, 2nd half |
| Available Exemptions | |
|---|---|
| Senior | Not Available |
| Disabled | Available |
| Homestead | Available |
| Veteran | Not Available |
| Solar/Wind | Available |
| Charitable | Available |
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Real Estate Statistics in California
Residential Property Tax by County in California
California property taxes are among the highest in the nation, with an average rate of 1.58% and an average property tax bill of $5,946. This is significantly higher than the national average of 0.93% and $3,553. Property taxes in California vary widely from county to county, with Riverside County having the highest effective property tax rate of 1.83%, and Santa Barbara County having the lowest rate of 1.2%. This means that homeowners in Riverside County pay an average of $6,845 in property taxes, while homeowners in Santa Barbara County pay an average of $4,917. This wide range of property tax rates across California counties can have a significant impact on the cost of homeownership.
Tax Assessment Value
The following table shows the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile of property assessment value in each county in California. The tax assessment value may differ from the potential sale value, and is used to calculate the property tax for each piece of real estate.
| County | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | $70,339 | $206,887 | $429,403 | $720,263 | $1,019,840 |
| El Dorado County | $0 | $163,984 | $320,000 | $511,017 | $705,051 |
| Fresno County | $36,700 | $95,666 | $178,698 | $284,237 | $396,300 |
| Kern County | $52,930 | $101,668 | $174,546 | $262,794 | $354,000 |
| Los Angeles County | $0 | $74,646 | $288,511 | $536,098 | $861,964 |
| Madera County | $22,332 | $99,429 | $179,582 | $269,801 | $368,788 |
| Marin County | $101,912 | $272,000 | $625,691 | $1,079,594 | $1,788,538 |
| Merced County | $31,547 | $97,777 | $171,550 | $269,337 | $351,566 |
| Monterey County | $0 | $90,436 | $281,884 | $541,047 | $905,453 |
| Napa County | $49,337 | $176,234 | $391,360 | $642,487 | $943,467 |
| Nevada County | $13,055 | $179,854 | $329,036 | $504,278 | $741,080 |
| Orange County | $0 | $172,499 | $410,360 | $689,964 | $1,014,355 |
| Placer County | $69,744 | $238,492 | $396,180 | $545,862 | $749,000 |
| Riverside County | $0 | $13,927 | $206,112 | $368,321 | $510,360 |
| Sacramento County | $53,251 | $144,580 | $260,519 | $390,582 | $525,000 |
| San Bernardino County | $20,434 | $111,521 | $218,968 | $356,556 | $505,180 |
| San Diego County | $56,510 | $190,846 | $373,832 | $592,096 | $874,914 |
| San Francisco County | $33,992 | $211,194 | $570,738 | $1,033,000 | $1,668,539 |
| San Luis Obispo County | $0 | $77,769 | $326,288 | $564,260 | $819,355 |
| San Mateo County | $91,730 | $263,380 | $616,346 | $1,100,644 | $1,844,096 |
| Santa Barbara County | $55,352 | $174,106 | $348,464 | $634,036 | $1,168,699 |
| Santa Clara County | $70,158 | $249,784 | $567,956 | $942,568 | $1,502,580 |
| Santa Cruz County | $46,888 | $176,752 | $412,856 | $711,031 | $1,017,522 |
| Solano County | $29,125 | $160,984 | $297,582 | $439,601 | $565,000 |
| Sonoma County | $24,800 | $168,249 | $356,899 | $573,072 | $807,996 |
| Stanislaus County | $38,040 | $119,514 | $206,717 | $313,002 | $407,609 |
| Tulare County | $18,937 | $81,254 | $147,963 | $231,175 | $315,663 |
| Ventura County | $42,300 | $202,330 | $385,240 | $595,662 | $839,000 |
| Yolo County | $38,431 | $147,468 | $298,237 | $459,716 | $635,000 |
Property Tax Bill
This table shows the percentiles of actual property tax paid on residential properties for each county in California.
| County | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | $2,413 | $4,065 | $6,761 | $10,255 | $14,403 |
| El Dorado County | $1,535 | $2,498 | $4,016 | $6,225 | $8,888 |
| Fresno County | $792 | $1,414 | $2,450 | $3,782 | $5,198 |
| Kern County | $999 | $1,653 | $2,612 | $3,829 | $5,106 |
| Los Angeles County | $1,708 | $3,081 | $5,057 | $7,887 | $12,129 |
| Madera County | $754 | $1,347 | $2,209 | $3,271 | $4,490 |
| Marin County | $3,674 | $5,864 | $10,019 | $15,657 | $24,213 |
| Merced County | $819 | $1,361 | $2,204 | $3,398 | $4,670 |
| Monterey County | $1,291 | $2,414 | $4,269 | $7,046 | $11,334 |
| Napa County | $1,988 | $3,432 | $5,639 | $8,370 | $11,876 |
| Nevada County | $1,491 | $2,714 | $4,265 | $6,304 | $8,984 |
| Orange County | $514 | $2,676 | $5,034 | $8,154 | $12,367 |
| Placer County | $2,087 | $3,372 | $5,182 | $7,513 | $9,806 |
| Riverside County | $818 | $2,107 | $3,787 | $6,014 | $8,430 |
| Sacramento County | $1,195 | $2,109 | $3,463 | $5,180 | $7,089 |
| San Bernardino County | $941 | $1,830 | $3,065 | $4,791 | $6,962 |
| San Diego County | $1,416 | $2,837 | $4,937 | $7,649 | $11,405 |
| San Francisco County | $1,868 | $4,190 | $8,307 | $13,810 | $21,471 |
| San Luis Obispo County | $1,483 | $2,915 | $4,911 | $7,275 | $9,901 |
| San Mateo County | $2,392 | $4,453 | $8,186 | $13,418 | $21,629 |
| Santa Barbara County | $922 | $2,260 | $4,261 | $7,462 | $12,998 |
| Santa Clara County | $2,416 | $4,707 | $8,412 | $12,953 | $19,687 |
| Santa Cruz County | $1,472 | $3,146 | $5,677 | $8,951 | $12,413 |
| Solano County | $1,679 | $2,642 | $4,187 | $5,937 | $7,949 |
| Sonoma County | $1,533 | $2,975 | $4,923 | $7,308 | $10,210 |
| Stanislaus County | $1,032 | $1,667 | $2,680 | $3,952 | $5,418 |
| Tulare County | $531 | $1,050 | $1,776 | $2,734 | $3,712 |
| Ventura County | $1,209 | $2,890 | $4,850 | $7,231 | $10,114 |
| Yolo County | $1,363 | $2,437 | $4,346 | $6,855 | $9,375 |
Effective Property Tax Rate
The effective property tax rate is calculated by dividing the property tax bill by the assessed value. For the percentiles below, the calculation is performed using the percentiles for property tax bill and assessed value above. Therefore, each consecutive percentile doesn't necessarily show a larger value.
| County | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | 3.43% | 1.96% | 1.57% | 1.42% | 1.41% |
| El Dorado County | - | 1.52% | 1.26% | 1.22% | 1.26% |
| Fresno County | 2.16% | 1.48% | 1.37% | 1.33% | 1.31% |
| Kern County | 1.89% | 1.63% | 1.50% | 1.46% | 1.44% |
| Los Angeles County | - | 4.13% | 1.75% | 1.47% | 1.41% |
| Madera County | 3.38% | 1.35% | 1.23% | 1.21% | 1.22% |
| Marin County | 3.61% | 2.16% | 1.60% | 1.45% | 1.35% |
| Merced County | 2.60% | 1.39% | 1.28% | 1.26% | 1.33% |
| Monterey County | - | 2.67% | 1.51% | 1.30% | 1.25% |
| Napa County | 4.03% | 1.95% | 1.44% | 1.30% | 1.26% |
| Nevada County | 11.42% | 1.51% | 1.30% | 1.25% | 1.21% |
| Orange County | - | 1.55% | 1.23% | 1.18% | 1.22% |
| Placer County | 2.99% | 1.41% | 1.31% | 1.38% | 1.31% |
| Riverside County | - | 15.13% | 1.84% | 1.63% | 1.65% |
| Sacramento County | 2.24% | 1.46% | 1.33% | 1.33% | 1.35% |
| San Bernardino County | 4.61% | 1.64% | 1.40% | 1.34% | 1.38% |
| San Diego County | 2.51% | 1.49% | 1.32% | 1.29% | 1.30% |
| San Francisco County | 5.50% | 1.98% | 1.46% | 1.34% | 1.29% |
| San Luis Obispo County | - | 3.75% | 1.51% | 1.29% | 1.21% |
| San Mateo County | 2.61% | 1.69% | 1.33% | 1.22% | 1.17% |
| Santa Barbara County | 1.67% | 1.30% | 1.22% | 1.18% | 1.11% |
| Santa Clara County | 3.44% | 1.88% | 1.48% | 1.37% | 1.31% |
| Santa Cruz County | 3.14% | 1.78% | 1.38% | 1.26% | 1.22% |
| Solano County | 5.76% | 1.64% | 1.41% | 1.35% | 1.41% |
| Sonoma County | 6.18% | 1.77% | 1.38% | 1.28% | 1.26% |
| Stanislaus County | 2.71% | 1.39% | 1.30% | 1.26% | 1.33% |
| Tulare County | 2.80% | 1.29% | 1.20% | 1.18% | 1.18% |
| Ventura County | 2.86% | 1.43% | 1.26% | 1.21% | 1.21% |
| Yolo County | 3.55% | 1.65% | 1.46% | 1.49% | 1.48% |
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Real Estate Values in California
The median home price in California has increased by 4.85% from August 2022 to August 2023, from $756.3K to $792.9K. This indicates that the housing market in California is becoming more expensive. At the same time, the number of active listings in California has decreased from 108.9K in August 2022 to 79.6K in August 2023, indicating that there is a decrease in the supply of homes in the market. This could be driving up the prices of homes in California.
Median Home Sale Price California
Last updated: November 2023
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Mortgage Rates in California
Mortgage rates in California are expected to remain relatively low in 2023, with an average rate of 4.96%. This is good news for homeowners in the state, as the average outstanding residential loan amount is estimated to be $325,406. This means that homeowners in California will be able to take advantage of the low rates and save money on their mortgages. Additionally, there are an estimated 5.7 million outstanding residential loans in California, indicating that the state is a popular place to purchase a home.
Outstanding Mortgages
The table below shows the percentile distribution of outstanding loans on residential properties in California by county.
| County | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | $67,262 | $152,647 | $299,904 | $527,768 | $785,837 |
| El Dorado County | $54,400 | $129,852 | $246,790 | $381,263 | $527,751 |
| Fresno County | $31,415 | $74,834 | $151,006 | $239,785 | $328,117 |
| Kern County | $32,330 | $70,320 | $140,846 | $220,642 | $298,987 |
| Los Angeles County | $48,011 | $111,484 | $244,763 | $435,362 | $677,547 |
| Madera County | $53,593 | $93,340 | $160,810 | $247,909 | $342,829 |
| Marin County | $86,714 | $203,847 | $411,106 | $714,546 | $1,170,156 |
| Merced County | $49,615 | $82,669 | $148,945 | $243,147 | $322,053 |
| Monterey County | $53,523 | $121,767 | $234,306 | $409,094 | $609,357 |
| Napa County | $60,111 | $142,583 | $274,387 | $460,172 | $663,511 |
| Nevada County | $67,713 | $131,881 | $234,318 | $360,616 | $491,440 |
| Orange County | $57,067 | $134,537 | $290,611 | $491,599 | $723,462 |
| Placer County | $67,418 | $142,820 | $260,291 | $393,574 | $526,983 |
| Riverside County | $50,563 | $109,692 | $209,604 | $332,199 | $452,637 |
| Sacramento County | $50,700 | $103,942 | $191,466 | $309,238 | $420,354 |
| San Bernardino County | $39,282 | $86,983 | $179,257 | $298,618 | $410,638 |
| San Diego County | $58,937 | $138,825 | $279,158 | $456,438 | $649,556 |
| San Francisco County | $73,873 | $197,459 | $403,646 | $740,195 | $1,187,245 |
| San Luis Obispo County | $53,401 | $129,036 | $258,594 | $409,815 | $567,062 |
| San Mateo County | $78,128 | $189,248 | $374,137 | $711,118 | $1,191,739 |
| Santa Barbara County | $54,593 | $126,158 | $255,487 | $437,799 | $684,277 |
| Santa Clara County | $84,708 | $191,604 | $368,614 | $657,467 | $1,064,717 |
| Santa Cruz County | $60,096 | $144,679 | $291,376 | $487,405 | $709,828 |
| Solano County | $57,115 | $121,624 | $230,824 | $362,885 | $474,987 |
| Sonoma County | $58,439 | $133,295 | $254,814 | $426,220 | $600,113 |
| Stanislaus County | $40,492 | $84,580 | $155,077 | $255,269 | $349,389 |
| Tulare County | $26,336 | $59,326 | $126,025 | $207,186 | $285,216 |
| Ventura County | $59,962 | $133,765 | $273,403 | $446,367 | $615,884 |
| Yolo County | $51,442 | $111,671 | $210,565 | $342,203 | $465,477 |
Mortgage Rates
The following table shows the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile of mortgage rates in counties across California.
| County | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | 3.00% | 3.65% | 4.50% | 6.29% | 7.43% |
| El Dorado County | 2.95% | 3.59% | 4.25% | 5.99% | 7.24% |
| Fresno County | 3.10% | 3.75% | 4.50% | 6.24% | 7.43% |
| Kern County | 3.00% | 3.70% | 4.48% | 6.05% | 7.15% |
| Los Angeles County | 3.10% | 3.80% | 4.82% | 6.75% | 7.67% |
| Madera County | 2.98% | 3.60% | 4.25% | 5.50% | 6.66% |
| Marin County | 2.90% | 3.60% | 4.46% | 6.25% | 7.34% |
| Merced County | 3.00% | 3.65% | 4.40% | 5.65% | 6.84% |
| Monterey County | 3.10% | 3.75% | 4.54% | 6.30% | 7.59% |
| Napa County | 3.00% | 3.70% | 4.50% | 6.37% | 7.40% |
| Nevada County | 2.90% | 3.55% | 4.19% | 5.85% | 7.06% |
| Orange County | 3.05% | 3.71% | 4.62% | 6.66% | 7.62% |
| Placer County | 2.93% | 3.58% | 4.25% | 5.85% | 7.10% |
| Riverside County | 2.96% | 3.61% | 4.37% | 5.87% | 7.10% |
| Sacramento County | 3.00% | 3.69% | 4.40% | 6.04% | 7.18% |
| San Bernardino County | 3.00% | 3.73% | 4.50% | 6.21% | 7.34% |
| San Diego County | 2.99% | 3.62% | 4.40% | 6.25% | 7.37% |
| San Francisco County | 2.90% | 3.62% | 4.70% | 6.36% | 7.41% |
| San Luis Obispo County | 3.00% | 3.65% | 4.42% | 6.36% | 7.49% |
| San Mateo County | 2.95% | 3.64% | 4.71% | 6.37% | 7.47% |
| Santa Barbara County | 3.01% | 3.69% | 4.50% | 6.39% | 7.51% |
| Santa Clara County | 2.90% | 3.55% | 4.50% | 6.22% | 7.37% |
| Santa Cruz County | 3.10% | 3.75% | 4.69% | 6.62% | 7.62% |
| Solano County | 3.00% | 3.64% | 4.40% | 6.04% | 7.21% |
| Sonoma County | 3.00% | 3.65% | 4.50% | 6.37% | 7.45% |
| Stanislaus County | 3.10% | 3.75% | 4.50% | 6.07% | 7.21% |
| Tulare County | 3.10% | 3.75% | 4.60% | 6.27% | 7.41% |
| Ventura County | 3.00% | 3.70% | 4.50% | 6.45% | 7.50% |
| Yolo County | 3.05% | 3.70% | 4.50% | 6.28% | 7.29% |
Housing Expenses in California
Housing expenses are a major part of the average household budget in the state. In fact, housing expenses account for nearly one-third of total expenses for the average household. As inflation continues, housing expenses continue to rise, eating up an ever-increasing portion of the household budget. Property taxes are the second largest component of housing expenses for the average property owner in the state, making up a significant portion of the total housing expenses. As housing expenses continue to rise, it is important for households to budget carefully and plan for the future to ensure they can afford their housing expenses.
Monthly Consumer Expenses for West region
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