Average property tax rates in California
Across the 58 California counties we index here, modeled effective rates average about 0.67% (population-weighted), which works out to roughly $8,644 per year on each jurisdiction’s own benchmark before exemptions—open a row for the exact home-value assumption behind that place’s figure.
Summaries here include only counties in the current dataset—not every subdivision in the state.
- Indexed counties
- 58
- Avg. effective rate
- 0.67%
- Population-weighted from indexed county rows in this state.
Avg. modeled annual tax (same basis): $8,644
Primary sources & market-comparable rates
This state’s county rows use primary sources (not U.S. Census ACS county medians). The statewide average, sortable rate column, and tools on this hub apply the same market-comparable rules Rate Gazetteer uses for interstate rankings—e.g. Arkansas and Arizona: modeled tax ÷ $350,000 (Arizona: ADOR $/100 on Class 3 net assessed = 10% of that LPV); Florida: × 0.72 taxable-to-market; California: × 0.58; Alabama and Alaska use each county’s modeled effective rate without an extra multiplier. County pages still show the benchmark each jurisdiction uses. Figures are for orientation—not your parcel’s bill.
Full detail: Methodology — modeled primary sources.
How this compares nationally
The population-weighted average modeled rate across indexed California counties is 0.67%. That modeled effective rate is below the broad national band many surveys use for orientation (often roughly 1–1.3% of home value, varying by source and methodology)—local bills still depend on your parcel.
Orientation band (~1–1.3%): broad U.S. survey context. See Tax Foundation — Property taxes as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value (state / local, illustrative national context).
Tools
Ballpark from average rate
Uses a population-weighted average effective rate across the counties we publish for California. Open a county page for jurisdiction-specific figures.
Your value
Illustrative annual tax
$2,674
Uses the state’s population-weighted average effective rate (0.67%) across indexed counties—not a specific jurisdiction.
Scaled by 0.67% — the population-weighted mean effective rate across indexed county rows in this state (weights fall back to equal per row when population is missing). Not specific to any one jurisdiction.
Not a tax bill, legal estimate, or appeal tool. Exemptions, caps, specials, and assessment rules can change your actual amount; confirm with your assessor or collector.
Counties
Sort by column headers. Table rates apply an illustrative taxable-to-market factor for ranking vs. ACS states; county pages still show BOE average rates on taxable assessed value. Ten rows per page; pagination stays on this URL (no extra pages for search engines).
Sorting and pagination update this table in the browser only. This state page has a single web address; there are no separate numbered pages for search engines.
| Alameda County | 0.71% | $9,150 | $750,000 | 1,649,060 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine County | 0.60% | $7,725 | $750,000 | 1,099 |
| Amador County | 0.59% | $7,597 | $750,000 | 42,026 |
| Butte County | 0.65% | $8,355 | $750,000 | 208,334 |
| Calaveras County | 0.62% | $8,062 | $750,000 | 46,505 |
| Colusa County | 0.64% | $8,220 | $750,000 | 22,074 |
| Contra Costa County | 0.67% | $8,633 | $750,000 | 1,172,607 |
| Del Norte County | 0.60% | $7,777 | $750,000 | 27,009 |
| El Dorado County | 0.61% | $7,935 | $750,000 | 192,823 |
| Fresno County | 0.70% | $9,098 | $750,000 | 1,024,125 |
FAQ
Common questions
Statewide orientation for California—open a county page for parcel-level rules.
Why doesn’t this California hub use Census ACS county medians?
California is one of six states where Rate Gazetteer builds county rows from primary sources (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida) rather than U.S. Census ACS medians. The population-weighted statewide average and sortable effective rate column apply the same market-comparable rules we document on our methodology page before averaging—e.g. Arkansas and Arizona: modeled tax ÷ $350,000 (Arizona uses ADOR $/100 on Class 3 net assessed = 10% of that LPV); Florida × 0.72 taxable-to-market; California × 0.58; Alabama and Alaska use each county’s modeled effective rate without an extra multiplier. County pages still show each place’s own benchmark.
What do the California county pages show?
Each indexed county page lists a disclosed benchmark, a modeled annual tax, and an effective rate derived from that model, with primary sources where we publish millage or rate tables. Figures are not a median for every home—open the county for assumptions.
Why is the “average” effective rate on this state page different from a single county?
This hub’s average is a population-weighted mean across the 58 counties we publish in California. Each county may use a different benchmark value in its model, so do not multiply this average by a home price from another state without reading the county page.
When are property taxes due in California?
California secured property tax is commonly due in two installments (December and April in many counties)—confirm on your county tax collector’s site.
How should I compare California counties to the rest of the U.S.?
Use effective rates only with the same benchmark definition (market vs taxable assessed). Broad national surveys often cite roughly 1.0–1.3% of home value as an orientation band—see our national context note and Rate Gazetteer’s methodology page.