Overview of Washington County, OR Taxes
The almost 601,000 residents of Washington County, Oregon face an average effective property tax rate of 1.08%. That’s well above Oregon's statewide 0.82% average effective property tax rate.
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To calculate the exact amount of property tax you will owe requires your property's assessed value and the property tax rates based on your property's address. Please note that we can only estimate your property tax based on median property taxes in your area. There are typically multiple rates in a given area, because your state, county, local schools and emergency responders each receive funding partly through these taxes. In our calculator, we take your home value and multiply that by your county's effective property tax rate. This is equal to the median property tax paid as a percentage of the median home value in your county.
To calculate the exact amount of property tax you will owe requires your property's assessed value and the property tax rates based on your property's address. Please note that we can only estimate your property tax based on median property taxes in your area. There are typically multiple rates in a given area, because your state, county, local schools and emergency responders each receive funding partly through these taxes. In our calculator, we take your home value and multiply that by your county's effective property tax rate. This is equal to the median property tax paid as a percentage of the median home value in your county.
Washington County Property Tax Rates
Taxpayers in Washington County, the second-most populous county in Oregon, pay some of the highest property taxes in the state. County residents pay a median property tax bill of $4,465. Compare that to Oregon’s overall median property tax bill of $3,479.
While Washington County has a property tax rate of 1.08%, which is higher that the Oregon state rate (0.82%) and the national rate (0.99%), Benton county actually pays the highest rate (1.22%).
The median home value in Washington County is $413,500, second in the state after Clackamas County at $421,100.
A financial advisor can help you understand how homeownership fits into your overall financial goals. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Paying Your Washington County Property Taxes
Each year, you’ll receive your annual property tax bill in late October with a due date in mid-November. Washington County property tax payments are due on November 15. In cases where the 15th falls on a weekend, the date will shift to the next business day.
Washington County residents might notice that their property tax statements are color-coded either yellow or green. Receiving a yellow statement means that the Oregon Department of Revenue has requested a copy of your property tax bill. Green statements are meant to show that the property owner is responsible for paying all property taxes due. It’s a good idea to check with your lender if you feel unsure of whether or not you’ll be responsible for the home’s property taxes.
In situations where you’ll need to pay the property’s tax bill yourself, you have several different payment method choices. Washington County accepts online payments by credit card, debit card and e-check. You may be subject to a 2.45% convenience fee if you plan to pay by credit or debit card.
If you’d rather avoid paying online, Washington County offers the option to pay in person at the county tax office in Hillsboro, over the phone or by mail. Those paying in person can choose to pay by debit or credit card (with the same 2.45% convenience fee), cash, check or money order. Payments by mail need to be in the form of either check or money order to be accepted. Whether you choose to pay in person or by mail, it’s best to include the account number on your tax bill on all money orders or checks you use to pay your taxes.
Washington County taxpayers have a few options for paying their tax bill. Residents who pay their property tax bill in full by November 15 get a 3% discount. For those who opt not to pay the full payment by the 15, paying two-thirds of the payment will result in a 2% discount with the rest of the payment due by May 15. Finally, paying just one-third by the November due date will mean foregoing any discounts but allows due dates of February 15 and May 15 for the final two payments.
If you’re late paying your property tax payments, interest will begin adding up at a rate of 1.33% per month. Washington County taxpayers have a window of three years after their property tax due date before the foreclosure process will begin.
If you have questions about how property taxes can affect your overall financial plans, a financial advisor in Portland can help you out.
How Your Washington County Property Tax Work
Oregon passed laws in the 1990s that still affect the state’s property taxes today. These laws place limits on total effective property tax rates and the growth in home values that determines these rates. Residents also enjoy the laws’ added benefit that property tax rates stay fairly stable from year to year.
Oregon differs from other states with the way it handles property taxes in that a home’s market value does not always decide its property tax rate. Taxes can instead apply to its maximum assessed value in the event that this number is lower than market value.
According to the Oregon Department of Revenue, a home’s maximum assessed value, or MAV, is its taxable value limit. This value is based on percentage increases in previous years’ values dating back to 1997 when MAV was first used.
The first maximum assessed value for each property was calculated using the 1995-96 tax year’s market value minus 10%. Since then, MAV is based a 3% increase of last year’s MAV except in cases when the property’s market value is lower than its maximum assessed value. A property’s MAV can increase by more than 3% in cases where additions to a property are constructed, the property is rezoned or the property no longer qualifies for an exemption.
Places Receiving the Most Value for Their Property Taxes
SmartAsset’s interactive map highlights the places across the country where property tax dollars are being spent most effectively. Zoom between states and the national map to see the counties getting the biggest bang for their property tax buck.
Methodology
Our study aims to find the places in the United States where people are getting the most value for their property tax dollars. To do this, we looked at property taxes paid, school rankings and the change in property values over a five-year period.
First, we used the number of households, median home value and average property tax rate to calculate a per capita property tax collected for each county.
As a way to measure the quality of schools, we analyzed the math and reading/language arts proficiencies for every school district in the country. We created an average score for each district by looking at the scores for every school in that district, weighting it to account for the number of students in each school. Within each state, we assigned every county a score between 1 and 10 (with 10 being the best) based on the average scores of the districts in each county.
Then, we calculated the change in property tax value in each county over a five-year period. Places where property values rose by the greatest amount indicated where consumers were motivated to buy homes, and a positive return on investment for homeowners in the community.
Finally, we calculated a property tax index, based on the criteria above. Counties with the highest scores were those where property tax dollars are going the furthest.
Sources: US Census Bureau 2018 American Community Survey, Department of Education
