Property tax in Jefferson County, Alabama
The median property tax bill in Jefferson County, Alabama is $1,409 a year, which is about 0.59% of the county's median home value of $240,000. That effective rate is higher than the typical Alabama county (0.32%) and lower than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Jefferson County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Jefferson County's average effective rate of 0.59% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $1,416 / year
Property tax in Jefferson County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $1,409 |
| Median home value | $240,000 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.59% |
| Typical Alabama county rate | 0.32% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Jefferson County compare in Alabama?
Among Alabama's 67 counties, Jefferson County has the highest effective property-tax rate. That places it among the most heavily taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 2290th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Alabama county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Jefferson County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Jefferson County's 172,419 owner-occupied homes, 16.7% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 28.1% pay at least $2,000, and 23% pay under $800. Another 16.2% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 39,643 | 23% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 37,117 | 21.5% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 19,297 | 11.2% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 19,680 | 11.4% |
| $3,000 or more | 28,816 | 16.7% |
| No property tax paid | 27,866 | 16.2% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,532 and owners without one pay $1,184. Owners who have paid off a home have usually held it longer, and in states that cap how fast an existing owner's assessment can rise, long-held homes carry lower assessed values. Census table B25103.
How does the Jefferson County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $1,409 is about 1.6% of the median income of Jefferson County homeowner households, $87,609 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 63.9% of Jefferson County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Jefferson County?
Yes. The median bill went from $1,033 in 2015-2019 to $1,409 in 2020-2024, a 36.4% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 50.8%, from $159,100 to $240,000. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Jefferson County
Jefferson County borders 6 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, AL (this county) | 0.59% | $1,409 | $240,000 |
| Shelby County, AL | 0.44% | $1,423 | $326,100 |
| St. Clair County, AL | 0.32% | $724 | $226,300 |
| Tuscaloosa County, AL | 0.32% | $795 | $248,700 |
| Blount County, AL | 0.3% | $523 | $175,200 |
| Walker County, AL | 0.26% | $356 | $135,900 |
| Bibb County, AL | 0.2% | $298 | $145,700 |
How is a home assessed in Jefferson County?
Alabama assesses homes at 10% of market value in every county, Jefferson County included. How Alabama assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Jefferson County?
Yes. Alabama exempts $4,000 of assessed value from the state portion of the tax and $2,000 from county tax (not school taxes). Apply with the county tax assessing official between October 1 and December 31. That is the Alabama rule, and it applies in Jefferson County. Alabama's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Jefferson County?
One annual payment. Taxes are due October 1 and become delinquent January 1. In practice the payment window is October through December. Unpaid accounts move to probate court in February and can reach a tax sale by May.
That is the Alabama rule. Jefferson County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Jefferson County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County Board of Equalization, then circuit court. The filing deadline is typically 30 days after the written notice of valuation. That is the Alabama rule; Jefferson County sets the exact dates and forms. The Alabama appeal process step by step.
Alabama rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Alabama page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Jefferson County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Alabama income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Alabama actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Jefferson County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Jefferson County, Alabama: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.