Property tax in Stephenson County, Illinois
The median property tax bill in Stephenson County, Illinois is $3,240 a year, which is about 2.4% of the county's median home value of $134,900. That effective rate is higher than the typical Illinois county (1.81%) and higher 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 Stephenson County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Stephenson County's average effective rate of 2.4% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $3,238 / year
Property tax in Stephenson County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $3,240 |
| Median home value | $134,900 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.4% |
| Typical Illinois county rate | 1.81% |
| 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 Stephenson County compare in Illinois?
Among Illinois's 102 counties, Stephenson County has the 3rd highest effective property-tax rate: 2 rank higher and 99 rank lower. That places it among the most heavily taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 21st of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Illinois county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Stephenson County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Stephenson County's 13,726 owner-occupied homes, 51.7% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 69.5% pay at least $2,000, and 7.5% pay under $800. Another 3.7% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 1,033 | 7.5% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 1,525 | 11.1% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 1,113 | 8.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 2,449 | 17.8% |
| $3,000 or more | 7,093 | 51.7% |
| No property tax paid | 513 | 3.7% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $3,388 and owners without one pay $3,108. That is within 10% either way, so in Stephenson County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Stephenson County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $3,240 is about 4.2% of the median income of Stephenson County homeowner households, $77,511 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 70.9% of Stephenson 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 Stephenson County?
Yes. The median bill went from $2,688 in 2015-2019 to $3,240 in 2020-2024, a 20.5% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 37.9%, from $97,800 to $134,900. 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 Stephenson County
Stephenson County borders 6 counties, 2 of them across the state line.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephenson County, IL (this county) | 2.4% | $3,240 | $134,900 |
| Winnebago County, IL | 2.39% | $3,930 | $164,500 |
| Ogle County, IL | 2.06% | $3,889 | $189,200 |
| Carroll County, IL | 1.99% | $2,277 | $114,500 |
| Jo Daviess County, IL | 1.72% | $3,613 | $209,900 |
| Green County, WI | 1.6% | $4,003 | $250,200 |
| Lafayette County, WI | 1.57% | $3,053 | $194,500 |
How is a home assessed in Stephenson County?
Illinois assesses homes at 33.33% of market value in every county, Stephenson County included. How Illinois assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Stephenson County?
Yes. Illinois's General Homestead Exemption is $6,000 of equalized assessed value in most counties, $8,000 in counties next to Cook, and $10,000 in Cook County. That is the Illinois rule, and it applies in Stephenson County. Illinois's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Stephenson County?
Two installments by default, the first due June 1 and the second September 1, or the date on the bill if later. Cook County and counties using accelerated billing follow different schedules, and the county collector sets the actual dates.
Illinois splits the bill into 2 installments. That is the Illinois rule. Stephenson County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Stephenson County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County Board of Review, then the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board. The filing deadline is typically 30 days after the Board of Review's decision. That is the Illinois rule; Stephenson County sets the exact dates and forms. The Illinois appeal process step by step.
Illinois rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Illinois 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 Stephenson 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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Illinois income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Illinois actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Stephenson County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Stephenson County, Illinois: 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.