Property tax in Brown County, Indiana
The median property tax bill in Brown County, Indiana is $1,177 a year, which is about 0.44% of the county's median home value of $269,100. That effective rate is lower than the typical Indiana county (0.66%) 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 Brown County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Brown County's average effective rate of 0.44% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $1,184 / year
Property tax in Brown County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $1,177 |
| Median home value | $269,100 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.44% |
| Typical Indiana county rate | 0.66% |
| 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 Brown County compare in Indiana?
Among Indiana's 92 counties, Brown County has the 91st highest effective property-tax rate: 90 rank higher and 1 rank lower. That places it among the least taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 2827th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Indiana county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Brown County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Brown County's 5,873 owner-occupied homes, 8.5% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 22.6% pay at least $2,000, and 32.1% pay under $800. Another 1.5% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 1,886 | 32.1% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 1,883 | 32.1% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 686 | 11.7% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 830 | 14.1% |
| $3,000 or more | 502 | 8.5% |
| No property tax paid | 86 | 1.5% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,169 and owners without one pay $1,197. That is within 10% either way, so in Brown County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Brown County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $1,177 is about 1.3% of the median income of Brown County homeowner households, $89,535 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 86.6% of Brown 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 Brown County?
The survey cannot tell. The median bill was $1,045 in 2015-2019 and $1,177 in 2020-2024, but that $132 difference is inside the Census's own margin of error for a county this size, so it could be sampling noise rather than a real change.
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 Brown County
Brown County borders 5 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartholomew County, IN | 0.75% | $1,738 | $232,800 |
| Johnson County, IN | 0.71% | $2,024 | $284,600 |
| Monroe County, IN | 0.71% | $2,036 | $285,200 |
| Jackson County, IN | 0.49% | $881 | $178,300 |
| Morgan County, IN | 0.49% | $1,174 | $237,600 |
| Brown County, IN (this county) | 0.44% | $1,177 | $269,100 |
How is a home assessed in Brown County?
Indiana assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Brown County included. How Indiana assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Brown County?
Yes, but it is shrinking. Indiana's homestead standard deduction is $40,000 for assessment year 2026 and reaches $0 from 2030; a bill paid in 2026 reflects the $48,000 figure. That is the Indiana rule, and it applies in Brown County. Indiana's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Brown County?
Two installments, customarily due May 10 and November 10 of the year after the January 1 assessment, moving to the next business day when they fall on a weekend. One statement covering both is mailed in spring. Late payment costs 5% within 30 days, 10% after.
Indiana splits the bill into 2 installments. That is the Indiana rule. Brown County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Brown County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County or township assessor, then the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals, then the Indiana Board of Tax Review. The filing deadline is typically June 15 of the assessment year if your Form 11 notice was mailed before May 1, otherwise June 15 of the year the bill was mailed. That is the Indiana rule; Brown County sets the exact dates and forms. The Indiana appeal process step by step.
Indiana rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Indiana 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 Brown 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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Indiana income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Indiana actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Brown County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Brown County, Indiana: 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.