Property tax in Highlands County, Florida
The median property tax bill in Highlands County, Florida is $1,353 a year, which is about 0.72% of the county's median home value of $187,900. That effective rate is about the same as the typical Florida county (0.72%) 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 Highlands County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Highlands County's average effective rate of 0.72% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $1,353 / year
Property tax in Highlands County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $1,353 |
| Median home value | $187,900 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.72% |
| Typical Florida county rate | 0.72% |
| 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 Highlands County compare in Florida?
Among Florida's 67 counties, Highlands County has the 35th highest effective property-tax rate: 34 rank higher and 32 rank lower. That is near the middle for Florida. Nationally, it ranks 1814th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Florida county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Highlands County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Highlands County's 36,845 owner-occupied homes, 11.6% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 26.4% pay at least $2,000, and 22.8% pay under $800. Another 13.6% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 8,389 | 22.8% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 9,273 | 25.2% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 4,432 | 12% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 5,452 | 14.8% |
| $3,000 or more | 4,280 | 11.6% |
| No property tax paid | 5,019 | 13.6% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,633 and owners without one pay $1,123. 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 Highlands County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $1,353 is about 2.2% of the median income of Highlands County homeowner households, $60,883 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 78.6% of Highlands 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 Highlands County?
Yes. The median bill went from $920 in 2015-2019 to $1,353 in 2020-2024, a 47.1% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 73.8%, from $108,100 to $187,900. 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 Highlands County
Highlands County borders 7 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte County, FL | 0.85% | $2,785 | $328,900 |
| Glades County, FL | 0.85% | $1,170 | $137,000 |
| DeSoto County, FL | 0.83% | $1,447 | $174,100 |
| Hardee County, FL | 0.82% | $1,264 | $153,600 |
| Osceola County, FL | 0.76% | $2,700 | $353,300 |
| Okeechobee County, FL | 0.74% | $1,423 | $193,000 |
| Polk County, FL | 0.73% | $1,933 | $266,500 |
| Highlands County, FL (this county) | 0.72% | $1,353 | $187,900 |
How is a home assessed in Highlands County?
Florida assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Highlands County included. How Florida assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Highlands County?
Yes. Florida exempts up to $50,000 of a permanent resident's home: the first $25,000 from all taxes and a further $25,000 from everything except school levies. Apply with the county property appraiser by March 1. That is the Florida rule, and it applies in Highlands County. Florida's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Highlands County?
Taxes are due November 1 and become delinquent April 1 of the following year (or 60 days after the notice is mailed, whichever is later). An optional quarterly installment plan exists if you apply by April 30.
That is the Florida rule. Highlands County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Highlands County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the Value Adjustment Board. The filing deadline is typically 25 days after the TRIM notice is mailed. That is the Florida rule; Highlands County sets the exact dates and forms. The Florida appeal process step by step.
Florida rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Florida 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 Highlands 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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Florida income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Florida actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Highlands County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Highlands County, Florida: 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.