Washington Property Tax Calculator,
know what you owe.

Washington property tax guide

How property tax works in Washington

Washington’s average effective property tax rate is 0.87% of a home’s market value — ranking #25 of 51 states (including D.C.), from highest to lowest. That average masks real county-by-county variation, but it’s the right starting point for budgeting what homeownership actually costs.

Why Washington breaks the "no income tax → high property tax" pattern

Washington is one of nine states with no state income tax, the same category as Texas and Florida — but unlike Texas, its property tax rate sits close to the national average rather than near the top. The reason is a structural limit, not lower spending: under RCW 84.55, most taxing districts (cities, counties, school districts) can only increase their total regular property tax levy — the total dollar amount collected — by the lesser of 1% or inflation each year, without a voter override. New construction and rising property values still bring in more revenue as they’re added to the roll, but the base levy itself grows far slower than in states without such a limit.

Instead, Washington leans more heavily on other revenue — notably one of the country’s higher state sales tax rates and a business & occupation (B&O) tax on gross receipts. It’s a useful reminder that “no income tax” doesn’t automatically predict a state’s property tax rate — the rest of a state’s tax structure matters just as much.

Worked example

A $600,000 home in Washington — a realistic figure for the state’s current median — comes out to $5,220 a year in property tax at the state average rate, or about $435 a month if it’s escrowed into a mortgage payment.

Disclaimer

This calculator uses Washington’s average effective property tax rate (taxes paid ÷ home market value), sourced from Tax Foundation and WalletHub 2024 data. Actual rates vary by county, city, and school district, and exemptions or assessment limitations you qualify for aren’t reflected here. For your actual tax liability, contact your local county assessor’s office.