Property tax in Washington County, Alabama
The median property tax bill in Washington County, Alabama is $365 a year, which is about 0.23% of the county's median home value of $159,700. That effective rate is lower 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 Washington County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Washington County's average effective rate of 0.23% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $367 / year
Property tax in Washington County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $365 |
| Median home value | $159,700 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.23% |
| 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 Washington County compare in Alabama?
Among Alabama's 67 counties, Washington County has the 64th highest effective property-tax rate: 63 rank higher and 3 rank lower. That places it among the least taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 3119th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Alabama county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Washington County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Washington County's 5,116 owner-occupied homes, 0.6% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 0.7% pay at least $2,000, and 70.8% pay under $800. Another 19.1% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 3,622 | 70.8% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 451 | 8.8% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 33 | 0.6% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 4 | 0.1% |
| $3,000 or more | 31 | 0.6% |
| No property tax paid | 975 | 19.1% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $476 and owners without one pay $314. 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 Washington County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $365 is about 0.5% of the median income of Washington County homeowner households, $72,367 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 85.8% of Washington 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 Washington County?
Yes. The median bill went from $260 in 2015-2019 to $365 in 2020-2024, a 40.4% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 79.2%, from $89,100 to $159,700. 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 Washington County
Washington County borders 6 counties, 2 of them across the state line.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene County, MS | 0.85% | $791 | $92,700 |
| Wayne County, MS | 0.63% | $578 | $91,100 |
| Mobile County, AL | 0.47% | $888 | $190,700 |
| Clarke County, AL | 0.33% | $396 | $121,700 |
| Baldwin County, AL | 0.3% | $960 | $316,900 |
| Washington County, AL (this county) | 0.23% | $365 | $159,700 |
| Choctaw County, AL | 0.17% | $207 | $123,400 |
How is a home assessed in Washington County?
Alabama assesses homes at 10% of market value in every county, Washington County included. How Alabama assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Washington 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 Washington County. Alabama's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Washington 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. Washington County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Washington 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; Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Washington 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.