Property tax in Shelby County, Indiana
The median property tax bill in Shelby County, Indiana is $1,412 a year, which is about 0.66% of the county's median home value of $212,400. That effective rate is about the same as 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 Shelby County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Shelby County's average effective rate of 0.66% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $1,402 / year
Property tax in Shelby County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $1,412 |
| Median home value | $212,400 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.66% |
| 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 Shelby County compare in Indiana?
Among Indiana's 92 counties, Shelby County has the 47th highest effective property-tax rate: 46 rank higher and 45 rank lower. That is near the middle for Indiana. Nationally, it ranks 2029th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Indiana county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Shelby County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Shelby County's 13,368 owner-occupied homes, 12.3% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 27.8% pay at least $2,000, and 22.1% pay under $800. Another 4.6% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 2,960 | 22.1% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 3,935 | 29.4% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 2,136 | 16% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 2,072 | 15.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 1,645 | 12.3% |
| No property tax paid | 620 | 4.6% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $1,449 and owners without one pay $1,326. That is within 10% either way, so in Shelby County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Shelby County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $1,412 is about 1.6% of the median income of Shelby County homeowner households, $87,818 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 72.5% of Shelby 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 Shelby County?
Yes. The median bill went from $1,034 in 2015-2019 to $1,412 in 2020-2024, a 36.6% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 59.5%, from $133,200 to $212,400. 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 Shelby County
Shelby County borders 6 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, IN | 0.91% | $2,028 | $224,000 |
| Bartholomew County, IN | 0.75% | $1,738 | $232,800 |
| Johnson County, IN | 0.71% | $2,024 | $284,600 |
| Hancock County, IN | 0.66% | $1,806 | $274,800 |
| Shelby County, IN (this county) | 0.66% | $1,412 | $212,400 |
| Rush County, IN | 0.65% | $1,079 | $166,800 |
| Decatur County, IN | 0.62% | $1,230 | $199,100 |
How is a home assessed in Shelby County?
Indiana assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Shelby County included. How Indiana assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Shelby 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 Shelby County. Indiana's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Shelby 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. Shelby County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Shelby 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; Shelby 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 Shelby 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 Shelby County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Shelby 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.