Property tax in Winston County, Alabama
The median property tax bill in Winston County, Alabama is $380 a year, which is about 0.32% of the county's median home value of $118,900. That effective rate is about the same as 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 Winston County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Winston County's average effective rate of 0.32% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $380 / year
Property tax in Winston County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $380 |
| Median home value | $118,900 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.32% |
| 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 Winston County compare in Alabama?
Among Alabama's 67 counties, Winston County has the 43rd highest effective property-tax rate: 42 rank higher and 24 rank lower. That is on the lower side for Alabama. Nationally, it ranks 3047th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Alabama county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Winston County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Winston County's 7,140 owner-occupied homes, 2.6% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 4.5% pay at least $2,000, and 59.3% pay under $800. Another 24.9% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 4,231 | 59.3% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 602 | 8.4% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 210 | 2.9% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 134 | 1.9% |
| $3,000 or more | 183 | 2.6% |
| No property tax paid | 1,780 | 24.9% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $452 and owners without one pay $305. 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 Winston County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $380 is about 0.6% of the median income of Winston County homeowner households, $65,139 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 75.8% of Winston 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 Winston County?
Yes. The median bill went from $269 in 2015-2019 to $380 in 2020-2024, a 41.3% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 38.1%, from $86,100 to $118,900.
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 Winston County
Winston County borders 5 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, AL | 0.32% | $433 | $136,000 |
| Winston County, AL (this county) | 0.32% | $380 | $118,900 |
| Lawrence County, AL | 0.29% | $497 | $172,300 |
| Marion County, AL | 0.28% | $301 | $106,600 |
| Cullman County, AL | 0.26% | $516 | $199,100 |
| Walker County, AL | 0.26% | $356 | $135,900 |
How is a home assessed in Winston County?
Alabama assesses homes at 10% of market value in every county, Winston County included. How Alabama assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Winston 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 Winston County. Alabama's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Winston 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. Winston County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Winston 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; Winston 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 Winston 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 Winston County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Winston 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.