California property tax rate: 0.70%
California's effective property tax rate is 0.70%: owner-occupied households report a median of $5,124 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $734,700 (2020-2024 estimates). That is the 34th highest of the 50 states and DC; the national rate is 0.94%. By county the rate runs from 0.58% in Trinity County to 0.88% in Kern County.
Property tax rate by county in California
| County | Effective rate | Median taxes | Median value | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kern County | 0.88% | $2,984 | $338,300 | 1 |
| Placer County | 0.84% | $5,812 | $688,100 | 2 |
| Contra Costa County | 0.83% | $7,156 | $866,800 | 3 |
| San Benito County | 0.81% | $6,441 | $793,400 | 4 |
| Alameda County | 0.78% | $8,474 | $1,090,100 | 5 |
| Riverside County | 0.78% | $4,348 | $557,300 | 5 |
| Alpine County | 0.77% | $4,530 | $590,200 | 7 |
| Imperial County | 0.77% | $2,394 | $309,600 | 7 |
| Yolo County | 0.77% | $4,749 | $620,700 | 7 |
| Kings County | 0.75% | $2,425 | $324,300 | 10 |
| Nevada County | 0.75% | $4,694 | $621,800 | 10 |
| San Joaquin County | 0.75% | $3,960 | $530,700 | 10 |
| Solano County | 0.75% | $4,621 | $617,700 | 10 |
| Sutter County | 0.75% | $3,268 | $433,500 | 10 |
| Fresno County | 0.74% | $2,861 | $388,800 | 15 |
| Inyo County | 0.74% | $2,576 | $348,700 | 15 |
| Yuba County | 0.74% | $3,071 | $412,300 | 15 |
| Calaveras County | 0.73% | $3,319 | $457,200 | 18 |
| Lake County | 0.73% | $2,369 | $324,300 | 18 |
| Sacramento County | 0.73% | $3,921 | $534,200 | 18 |
| Lassen County | 0.72% | $1,923 | $265,300 | 21 |
| Amador County | 0.71% | $3,172 | $449,800 | 22 |
| San Francisco County | 0.71% | $9,862 | $1,394,500 | 22 |
| Stanislaus County | 0.71% | $3,216 | $450,100 | 22 |
| El Dorado County | 0.70% | $4,753 | $679,900 | 25 |
| Madera County | 0.70% | $2,756 | $393,200 | 25 |
| Plumas County | 0.70% | $2,537 | $360,200 | 25 |
| San Bernardino County | 0.70% | $3,538 | $505,000 | 25 |
| Sonoma County | 0.70% | $5,695 | $815,500 | 25 |
| Tulare County | 0.70% | $2,318 | $330,100 | 25 |
| Butte County | 0.69% | $2,951 | $424,700 | 31 |
| Mendocino County | 0.69% | $3,545 | $512,200 | 31 |
| Modoc County | 0.69% | $1,561 | $224,700 | 31 |
| Napa County | 0.69% | $5,995 | $869,500 | 31 |
| Shasta County | 0.69% | $2,542 | $366,400 | 31 |
| Sierra County | 0.69% | $2,279 | $331,900 | 31 |
| Los Angeles County | 0.68% | $5,675 | $834,200 | 37 |
| San Diego County | 0.68% | $5,774 | $854,700 | 37 |
| San Luis Obispo County | 0.68% | $5,636 | $824,700 | 37 |
| Ventura County | 0.68% | $5,574 | $822,700 | 37 |
| Merced County | 0.67% | $2,634 | $391,800 | 41 |
| Santa Clara County | at least 0.67% | $10,000+ | $1,490,600 | 41 |
| Marin County | at least 0.66% | $10,000+ | $1,507,300 | 43 |
| Orange County | 0.66% | $6,330 | $962,600 | 43 |
| Tuolumne County | 0.66% | $2,864 | $433,200 | 43 |
| Mono County | 0.65% | $4,177 | $639,400 | 46 |
| Santa Barbara County | 0.65% | $5,103 | $790,700 | 46 |
| Glenn County | 0.64% | $2,263 | $352,400 | 48 |
| Humboldt County | 0.64% | $2,858 | $446,900 | 48 |
| Santa Cruz County | 0.64% | $6,538 | $1,027,500 | 48 |
| Siskiyou County | 0.64% | $1,973 | $309,500 | 48 |
| Monterey County | 0.63% | $4,910 | $781,000 | 52 |
| Colusa County | 0.62% | $2,426 | $393,400 | 53 |
| Tehama County | 0.62% | $2,118 | $339,600 | 53 |
| Del Norte County | 0.61% | $2,099 | $342,000 | 55 |
| Mariposa County | 0.61% | $2,377 | $387,900 | 55 |
| San Mateo County | 0.61% | $9,519 | $1,559,600 | 55 |
| Trinity County | 0.58% | $1,888 | $325,800 | 58 |
Highest rate first. 2020-2024 5-year estimates for owner-occupied homes; "$10,000+" is the survey top code, so those rates are lower bounds.
About effective rates
An effective rate from survey data: the median of what owner-occupied households report paying in real estate taxes, divided by the median value they report. It is not the county's millage or levy rate and not a tax bill; local rates vary by city, school district and special district, and exemptions (homestead, senior, veteran) change what each owner pays.
For one ZIP code, use the property tax rate by ZIP code lookup, which also estimates the tax on a home value.
More for California
- Property tax rates by stateAll 50 states and DC ranked from highest to lowest effective rate.
- California loan limitsFHA, VA and conforming loan limits for every California county.
- California fair market rentsHUD Fair Market Rents for every California county.
- Property tax rate by ZIP codeEffective rate and an estimate for any ZIP code.
For the title side (owner of record, deeds, mortgages, liens), see the counties HeritageDeed covers; a title report is $49 per report.
Questions about California property taxes
What is the property tax rate in California?
The effective rate is 0.70%: a median of $5,124 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $734,700 (2020-2024 estimates). Statutory rates are set by each county, city, school district and special district, so the rate on a given property differs.
What is the average property tax in California?
The median owner-occupied household pays $5,124 a year, against $3,119 nationally. On a $300,000 home the state's effective rate works out to about $2,100 a year, as an illustration.
Which California county has the highest property tax rate?
Kern County at 0.88%, then Placer County (0.84%) and Contra Costa County (0.83%). These are effective rates from survey data, median taxes over median value.
Which California county has the lowest property tax rate?
Trinity County at 0.58%, then San Mateo County (0.61%) and Mariposa County (0.61%). A low effective rate can reflect exemptions, low assessments or high home values.
How does California compare with other states?
California ranks 34th of the 50 states and DC by effective rate (0.70%, national 0.94%). The full ranking is on the property tax rates by state page.
Property tax rates in nearby states
Based on 2020-2024 5-year household survey estimates; 58 counties. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. JSON: /api/data/property-tax-rates/california. Not tax advice.