California Property Tax Calculator 2026
Estimate your annual property tax bill in California instantly. Enter your home value and see the annual tax, monthly escrow amount, and how California's 0.70% effective rate compares with the U.S. average — calculated privately in your browser.
Estimate only. 0.70% is California's statewide average effective rate (property tax paid ÷ home value) - the local tax rates on your parcel and your exemptions decide the real bill. It averages in long-time owners whose Proposition 13 assessed values are far below market value; a recent buyer pays about 1% of the purchase price plus voter-approved debt. Source: Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County, 2026 (Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2020–2024). The U.S. figure of 0.94% is calculated the same way from Census tables B25090 and B25082. Last updated: October 2026.
The California Property Tax Calculator is a free, browser-based tool that estimates your annual property tax bill. It starts from California's 0.70% statewide effective rate — tax paid ÷ home value, averaged over all owners — and lets you switch to the Proposition 13 rate that applies to a recent purchase (1% of assessed value plus voter-approved debt, 1.152% on average statewide in 2024-25 on Board of Equalization figures), subtract exemptions and add Mello-Roos or other direct charges for Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, San Francisco, Riverside and every other California county. Updated October 2026.
Property Tax by ZIP Code and for Mobile Homes in California
Two things this calculator is asked about most:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Property tax by ZIP code | A ZIP code does not set your rate. Every parcel pays the 1% general rate; the extra rates for voter-approved debt vary from area to area within a county, and the state is divided into 62,028 tax rate areas to keep track of them (Board of Equalization, 2024-25). County average tax rates in 2024-25 ran from 1.000% (Modoc and Sierra) to 1.248% (Kern) of assessed value. For the rate on your own parcel, divide the tax on your bill (before direct charges) by its assessed value, or ask the county auditor-controller, then enter it above; Mello-Roos and other direct charges are billed on top as dollar amounts. |
| Mobile and manufactured homes | A manufactured home originally purchased new on or after 1 July 1980 is subject to local property tax, like a house, on the assessed value of the home (land you own is assessed separately). One bought new before that date pays the annual vehicle licence (in-lieu) fee to the Department of Housing and Community Development instead, unless it was voluntarily converted to local property tax — a switch that cannot be reversed. Use the home's assessed value in the calculator for the first group (Board of Equalization manufactured homes FAQ). |
| Base rate | 1% of assessed value (Prop 13) plus rates for voter-approved debt, with direct charges added as dollar amounts; assessed value can rise at most 2% a year until a change in ownership or new construction resets it. |
How California Property Tax Works
Property tax in California is an annual tax levied on real estate by local governments — primarily counties, municipalities, and school districts. The amount you owe is your property's assessed value multiplied by the tax rate — 1% under Proposition 13 plus local rates for voter-approved debt. On average, California homeowners pay 0.70% of their home's value in property tax each year, 0.24 percentage points below the U.S. figure of 0.94%.
The effective rate combines all local levies: county tax, municipal tax, school district tax, and any special assessments. Because California has multiple taxing jurisdictions, your actual rate depends heavily on where in the state your property is located. The 0.70% figure is all real-estate tax paid on owner-occupied homes in California divided by their total value, as published in the Tax Foundation's Property Taxes by State and County, 2026 from Census Bureau American Community Survey data for 2020–2024. It is a statewide average — not a rate any single jurisdiction charges, and not your bill.
If you bought recently, expect more than 0.70%. Under Proposition 13 a home is reassessed to market value only when it changes ownership or is newly built, and its assessed value can then rise by no more than 2% a year. Long-time owners therefore pay on values far below today's market, which pulls the statewide average down. A new buyer pays about 1% of the purchase price plus voter-approved debt: the Board of Equalization's county average tax rates for 2024-25 run from 1.000% to 1.248% of assessed value, 1.152% statewide, before any Mello-Roos or other direct charges (BOE Table 14, general property tax levies). Use the Quick Rate picker above to switch.
The Census Bureau puts the median owner-occupied home in California at $734,700 and the median real-estate tax bill at $5,124 a year — roughly $427 per month when paid through a mortgage escrow account (American Community Survey, 2020–2024).
Who Collects Property Tax in California — and How Rates Are Set
In California the county assessor values property, the county tax collector sends and collects the bill, and the county auditor allocates the money to the county, cities, schools and special districts. Local governments do not set the general rate: Proposition 13 fixes it at 1% of assessed value, and only the rates needed to repay voter-approved debt are added on top.
California does not use mill rates. The rate is 1% of assessed value plus whatever is needed to repay voter-approved bonds, and that extra rate can vary from area to area within a county. What moves your bill is mostly your assessed value: it starts at the purchase price (or the value when construction was completed) and then rises with the California Consumer Price Index, capped at 2% a year, until the next change in ownership or new construction. If market value on 1 January falls below that figure, the assessor must enrol the lower market value until it recovers (Proposition 8). Source: Board of Equalization, Publication 29.
To find your exact rate, ask your county tax collector or auditor-controller; the county assessor handles values and exemptions. Your most recent property tax bill will also show the breakdown of all levies applied to your parcel.
California Property Tax Exemptions and Relief Programs
California's homeowners' exemption takes $7,000 off the assessed value of an owner-occupied principal residence - about $70 a year at the 1% base rate. It needs a one-time claim with the county assessor (form BOE-266), filed by 15 February to get the full exemption for that year. A veteran rated 100% disabled, or an unmarried surviving spouse, can claim the Disabled Veterans' Exemption instead: $180,671 of assessed value for 2026, or $271,009 if household income is $81,131 or less; the two exemptions cannot be combined on one home. Separately, Proposition 13 limits the yearly rise in assessed value to 2%, and homeowners who are 62 or older, blind or disabled may be able to postpone their taxes through the State Controller. Source: California State Board of Equalization — Homeowners' Exemption.
A veteran rated 100% disabled can claim the Disabled Veterans' Exemption described below; California has no partial exemption for a lower rating. Agricultural land often receives a preferential assessment based on use-value rather than market value. If you believe your assessment is incorrect, you have the right to appeal — in California the regular filing period runs from 2 July to 15 September or 30 November, depending on the county (details below).
To apply for any exemption, contact your county assessor. Most exemptions require an annual or one-time application and proof of eligibility (residency, age, disability documentation, etc.).
Property Tax Calculator California: Prop 19 Transfer Rules and Mello-Roos (2026)
The property tax calculator california above starts from the statewide effective rate, but two California-specific rules can change your real bill: Proposition 19 and Mello-Roos special taxes. Since 1 April 2021, Prop 19 lets a homeowner who is over 55, severely disabled, or a victim of a wildfire or natural disaster transfer the base year value of a primary residence to a replacement home anywhere in California that is bought or built within two years of the sale — up to three times for age or disability. If the replacement is worth more than the home that was sold, the difference is added to the transferred value, so only an equal-or-cheaper replacement keeps the old assessed value unchanged. Prop 19 also narrowed parent-to-child transfers from 16 February 2021: the child must make the home a principal residence and file for the homeowners' exemption within one year, and the exclusion is capped — if the market value on the transfer date is more than the parent's assessed value plus $1,044,586 (the inflation-adjusted $1 million, for transfers from 16 February 2025 to 15 February 2027), the excess is added to the assessed value. Mello-Roos (Community Facilities District) charges are separate: they are based on the cost of the facilities or services provided rather than on assessed value, and are itemised on the tax bill as a specific dollar amount, so enter them in the special-assessments field. Sources: Board of Equalization — Proposition 19, Letter to Assessors 2025/009 and Publication 800-5. Updated October 2026.
California Property Tax by County: LA, San Diego, Orange, San Francisco & Riverside (2026)
California's 0.70% statewide effective rate hides two different things: county variation and, far more, how long each owner has held the home. On owner-occupied homes the Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County, 2026 county table (Census ACS 2020–2024) shows Los Angeles County 0.67% (median tax $5,675 on a median home value of $834,200), San Diego County 0.67% (median tax $5,774 on a median home value of $854,700), Orange County 0.64% (median tax $6,330 on a median home value of $962,600), San Francisco 0.72% (median tax $9,862 on a median home value of $1,394,500) and Riverside County 0.83% (median tax $4,348 on a median home value of $557,300). Rates on assessed value sit much closer together: the Board of Equalization's average tax rates for 2024-25 are 1.181% in Los Angeles, 1.171% in San Diego, 1.064% in Orange, 1.174% in San Francisco and 1.173% in Riverside. The gap between the two sets of figures is Proposition 13 — the longer the typical owner has held the home, the lower the tax is as a share of today's value. Mello-Roos and other direct charges come on top of both and are specific to the parcel, so check the tax bill for the home you are buying. Sources: Tax Foundation; California State Board of Equalization, 2024-25 Annual Report. Updated October 2026.
California Property Tax Appeal: When and How to Fight Your 2026 Assessment
If your home's market value on 1 January was below its assessed value, you are entitled to a temporary reduction under Proposition 8: the assessor must enrol the lower of the two. Ask the county assessor for an informal decline-in-value review first; if you still disagree, file an Assessment Appeal Application with the clerk of the county board of supervisors or assessment appeals board. The regular filing period runs from 2 July to either 15 September or 30 November, depending on the county (the BOE lists each county's deadline); a supplemental or escape assessment must be appealed within 60 days of the notice. A Prop 8 reduction is temporary — the assessor reviews it every year, and the assessed value can then rise by more than 2% a year as the market recovers, though never above the Prop 13 value it would otherwise have had. Sources: Board of Equalization — Decline in Value (Proposition 8) and Publication 29. Updated October 2026.
California Property Tax Relief: Disabled Veterans' Exemption and Postponement
Two California programs are worth far more than the $7,000 homeowners' exemption to those who qualify. The Disabled Veterans' Exemption is for a veteran rated 100% disabled by the VA (or compensated at the 100% rate because of unemployability) and for an unmarried surviving spouse. The statutory $100,000 and $150,000 amounts are compounded for inflation every year: for 2026 the basic exemption is $180,671 of assessed value, and the low-income exemption is $271,009 for a household income of $81,131 or less (California State Board of Equalization). Only one exemption is allowed per property, so it replaces the homeowners' exemption rather than adding to it. Separately, the State Controller's Property Tax Postponement program lets a homeowner who is at least 62, blind or disabled defer current-year property tax on a principal residence with at least 40% equity and a household income of $57,002 or less. The postponed tax is secured by a lien and accrues interest at 5% a year until the home is sold or transferred, stops being your principal residence, or is refinanced — it is a deferral, not forgiveness. For the 2026-27 tax year the filing period runs from 1 October 2026 to 10 February 2027; funding is limited, applications are handled first-come, first-served, and you must reapply each year (California State Controller). To model the exemption here, enter the amount in the "Exemptions Off Value" field with a rate on assessed value and re-run. Updated October 2026.
California Property Tax Rates by County — 2026 Comparison Table
The Quick Rate picker above loads the average tax rates in the last column straight into the calculator. Effective rate is tax actually paid as a share of market value across all owner-occupied homes; average tax rate is the Prop 13 rate (1% plus voter-approved debt) as a share of assessed value, before Mello-Roos and other direct charges. Median tax is the median real-estate tax paid by homeowners in the county.
| County | Effective rate (market value) | Median tax paid | Average tax rate (assessed value) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | 0.83% | $4,348 | 1.173% |
| San Francisco | 0.72% | $9,862 | 1.174% |
| California statewide | 0.70% | $5,124 | 1.152% |
| Los Angeles | 0.67% | $5,675 | 1.181% |
| San Diego | 0.67% | $5,774 | 1.171% |
| Orange | 0.64% | $6,330 | 1.064% |
| San Mateo | 0.63% | $9,519 | 1.123% |
| U.S. overall | 0.94% | $3,119 | — |
Two things this table makes obvious. First, the lowest rate does not mean the lowest bill: San Mateo has the lowest effective rate on the list (0.63%) and one of the highest median tax bills ($9,519), because that rate applies to a median home worth $1,559,600, while Riverside has the highest rate (0.83%) and the lowest median bill ($4,348). Second, every county here sits under the 0.94% U.S. figure when tax is measured against market value, yet above 1% when it is measured against assessed value — California's bills come from home prices and purchase dates, not from high rates. Sources: effective rates and median tax from the Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County, 2026 county table (Census ACS 2020–2024); average tax rates for 2024-25 from Board of Equalization Table 14, with the statewide figure calculated from its county totals. Updated October 2026.
Tips to Manage Your California Property Tax Bill
First, verify your assessment is accurate. Review your property record card at your county assessor's office and check for errors in square footage, bedroom/bathroom count, or lot size. Even small errors can inflate your assessed value and tax bill. If the assessment seems high, look up recent sale prices of comparable homes in your neighborhood and file an appeal if warranted.
Second, apply for every exemption you qualify for. Homestead, senior, veteran, and disability exemptions can reduce your taxable value by thousands of dollars. Third, if your mortgage servicer handles tax payments through escrow, review your escrow statement annually. Servicers sometimes over-estimate and hold excess funds — you may be entitled to a refund. Finally, California secured property tax bills are mailed by 1 November and paid in two equal installments: the first is due 1 November and is delinquent after 10 December, the second is due 1 February and is delinquent after 10 April. A late installment carries a 10% penalty (Board of Equalization, Publication 29).
Property Tax Calculator California: Use Your County Rate and Mello-Roos
California's 0.70% statewide average is an average over owners who bought decades ago as well as last year, so it is a starting point rather than your bill. The calculator takes three extra inputs so the estimate can match your parcel: pick or type the rate that fits you (the 0.70% average, the 1% Prop 13 base for a recent purchase, a county average tax rate from the Board of Equalization, or the total rate on your own bill), enter the $7,000 homeowners' exemption or the disabled veterans' exemption under exemptions, and put Mello-Roos or other direct charges in special assessments. Whenever you use a rate from a tax bill or the BOE, enter the assessed value — the purchase price for a recent buyer — as the home value. Look your figures up on the California State Board of Equalization property tax pages or with your county assessor. Updated October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in California?
California's average effective property tax rate on owner-occupied homes is 0.70% of home value, 0.24 percentage points below the U.S. figure of 0.94% (Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County, 2026 edition, from Census Bureau American Community Survey data for 2020-2024). At that rate a $734,700 home - the Census median home value in California - works out to about $5,143 a year. It is a statewide average over all owners: under Proposition 13 the tax rate itself is 1% of assessed value plus voter-approved debt (1.152% on average statewide in 2024-25, Board of Equalization), so a recent buyer pays noticeably more than 0.70% of the purchase price, while long-time owners with low assessed values pay less.
How is property tax calculated in California?
The bill is assessed value multiplied by the tax rate, plus direct charges. Under Proposition 13 the rate is 1% of assessed value plus rates for voter-approved debt, and assessed value is the market value when the home last changed ownership or was newly built, increased by no more than 2% a year since. The $7,000 homeowners' exemption comes off assessed value first, and Mello-Roos or other direct charges are added as dollar amounts. This calculator starts from the statewide effective rate instead - tax paid divided by home value, which averages 0.70% across all owners - and lets you switch to a rate on assessed value.
Are there California property tax exemptions?
California's homeowners' exemption takes $7,000 off the assessed value of an owner-occupied principal residence - about $70 a year at the 1% base rate. It needs a one-time claim with the county assessor (form BOE-266), filed by 15 February to get the full exemption for that year. A veteran rated 100% disabled, or an unmarried surviving spouse, can claim the Disabled Veterans' Exemption instead: $180,671 of assessed value for 2026, or $271,009 if household income is $81,131 or less; the two exemptions cannot be combined on one home. Separately, Proposition 13 limits the yearly rise in assessed value to 2%, and homeowners who are 62 or older, blind or disabled may be able to postpone their taxes through the State Controller.
When are property taxes due in California?
California secured property tax bills are mailed by 1 November and paid in two equal installments: the first is due 1 November and is delinquent after 10 December, the second is due 1 February and is delinquent after 10 April. A late installment carries a 10% penalty (Board of Equalization, Publication 29).
What is the average property tax bill in California?
The median real-estate tax bill paid by California homeowners is $5,124 a year, and the median owner-occupied home is valued at $734,700 (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024). Bills vary widely from one locality to the next, and with the exemptions you qualify for.
How does California's property tax compare to other states?
California ranks 32nd of the 50 states (1st is the highest) for effective property tax rate on owner-occupied homes at 0.70%, against 0.94% for the U.S. overall. The highest are New Jersey (1.88%), Illinois (1.88%) and Connecticut (1.54%); the lowest are Hawaii (0.29%), Alabama (0.37%) and Utah (0.48%). Source: Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County, 2026 edition (Census data for 2020-2024).
How does Proposition 19 affect a property tax calculator california result for inherited homes?
Under Prop 19 (transfers on or after 16 February 2021), an inherited home keeps the parent's Prop 13 value only if the child makes it a principal residence and files for the homeowners' exemption within one year. Even then the exclusion is capped: any market value above the parent's assessed value plus $1,044,586 (the figure for transfers from 16 February 2025 to 15 February 2027) is added to the assessed value. Example: a home assessed at $300,000 and worth $1,500,000 on the transfer date - the cap is $1,344,586, so $155,414 is added and the child's new assessed value is $455,414. A child who does not move in gets no exclusion and the home is reassessed to its $1,500,000 market value - 5 times the old assessed value in this example.
What are Mello-Roos taxes and will the property tax calculator california include them?
Mello-Roos charges are levied by a Community Facilities District to pay for public facilities or services. The Board of Equalization describes them as based on the cost of the benefits or services provided rather than on the assessed value of the property, and itemised on the tax bill as a specific dollar amount. The calculator does not add them by default: read the amount off the current tax bill for the parcel and enter it in the Mello-Roos / Special Assessments field, and it is added on top of the tax computed from the rate.
Which California county has the lowest property tax rate?
It depends on what you measure against. On assessed value - which is what your bill uses - the lowest county average tax rates in 2024-25 were Modoc and Sierra at 1.000%, and the highest was Kern at 1.248% (Board of Equalization). Measured against market value for all owner-occupied homes, the lowest of the counties in the table on this page are San Mateo (0.63%) and Orange (0.64%), and the highest county in the state is Kern (0.89%) (Tax Foundation 2026 county table, Census ACS 2020-2024). A low rate does not mean a low bill: San Mateo's median tax is $9,519 a year.
What is a supplemental property tax bill in California?
A supplemental assessment puts the reassessment from a purchase or completed new construction into effect straight away instead of waiting for the next 1 January lien date. It is the difference between the new base year value and the previous taxable value, prorated for the part of the fiscal year (1 July to 30 June) that remains after the event; a change between 1 January and 31 May produces two supplemental bills, one for the rest of the current fiscal year and one for all of the next. Example: if the seller's assessed value was $400,000 and you buy for $900,000, the supplemental assessment is $500,000 - about $5,000 for a full year at the 1% base rate, before voter-approved debt. It is billed separately from, and in addition to, the regular annual bill (Board of Equalization, Publication 29).
How do I appeal my California property tax assessment in 2026?
If your home's market value on 1 January was below its assessed value, ask the county assessor for an informal decline-in-value (Proposition 8) review. If you still disagree, file an Assessment Appeal Application with the clerk of the county board of supervisors or assessment appeals board during the regular filing period, which runs from 2 July to either 15 September or 30 November depending on the county; a supplemental or escape assessment must be appealed within 60 days of the notice. A Prop 8 reduction is temporary - the assessor reviews it each year and restores the Prop 13 value as the market recovers (Board of Equalization).
Can I enter my own county rate in the property tax calculator california?
Yes. The Tax Rate field is pre-filled with California's 0.70% statewide average effective rate but is fully editable, and the Quick Rate picker loads the 1% Prop 13 base rate or a Board of Equalization average tax rate for 2024-25 - 1.152% statewide, Los Angeles 1.181%, San Diego 1.171%, Orange 1.064%, San Francisco 1.174%, San Mateo 1.123%, Riverside 1.173%. Those averages are percentages of assessed value, so use them with your assessed value or purchase price. The most accurate figure comes from your own tax bill: the tax before direct charges divided by the assessed value.
How do I include Mello-Roos in a California property tax estimate?
Enter the annual amount in the Mello-Roos / Special Assessments field. These charges are itemised on the secured tax bill as specific dollar amounts and are not based on assessed value (Board of Equalization, Publication 800-5), so the calculator adds them on top of the base tax rather than scaling them with your home value. The current tax bill for the parcel lists each one as a separate line, with the phone number of the district that levies it.
Is there a California property tax exemption for disabled veterans?
Yes. A veteran rated 100% disabled by the VA, or compensated at the 100% rate because of unemployability, can claim the Disabled Veterans' Exemption, as can an unmarried surviving spouse. For 2026 it removes $180,671 of assessed value, or $271,009 if household income is $81,131 or less; the statutory $100,000 and $150,000 amounts and the income limit are adjusted for inflation every year. There is no partial exemption for a lower rating. Only one exemption is allowed per property, so it replaces the $7,000 homeowners' exemption rather than stacking with it (Board of Equalization).
Can California seniors postpone paying property tax?
Yes, through the State Controller's Property Tax Postponement program. A homeowner who is at least 62, or blind, or disabled, with at least 40% equity and a household income of $57,002 or less, can defer current-year property tax on a principal residence. The postponed tax is secured by a lien and accrues interest at 5% a year until the home is sold or transferred, stops being the principal residence or is refinanced - it defers the bill, it does not cancel it. For the 2026-27 tax year applications are accepted from 1 October 2026 to 10 February 2027, funding is limited and first-come, first-served, and you must reapply each year.
Which California county rate should I use in this property tax calculator?
It depends on how long you have owned the home. If you bought recently, enter the purchase price and use the total rate from the tax bill - or, as a stand-in, the 1% Prop 13 base or your county's Board of Equalization average tax rate (1.000% to 1.248% in 2024-25) - then add any Mello-Roos. If you have owned for many years, either enter your assessed value with the rate from your bill, or enter today's market value with the 0.70% statewide effective rate for a rough figure. Mixing the two - market value with a rate on assessed value - overstates a long-time owner's bill.
Does a lower property tax rate mean a lower bill in California?
No. Among the large counties on this page San Mateo has the lowest effective rate at 0.63% but a median tax bill of $9,519 a year, because the median home there is worth $1,559,600. Riverside has the highest effective rate at 0.83% yet a median bill of $4,348 on a median home worth $557,300 (Tax Foundation 2026 county table, Census ACS 2020-2024). Rate and bill move independently, so run your own home value through the calculator instead of comparing county rates alone.