Property tax in Knox County, Maine
The median property tax bill in Knox County, Maine is $3,786 a year, which is about 1.17% of the county's median home value of $324,900. That effective rate is higher than the typical Maine county (1.04%) 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 Knox County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Knox County's average effective rate of 1.17% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $3,801 / year
Property tax in Knox County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $3,786 |
| Median home value | $324,900 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.17% |
| Typical Maine county rate | 1.04% |
| 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 Knox County compare in Maine?
Among Maine's 16 counties, Knox County has the highest effective property-tax rate. That places it among the most heavily taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 771st of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Maine county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Knox County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Knox County's 14,551 owner-occupied homes, 63.4% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 83.4% pay at least $2,000, and 3.5% pay under $800.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 504 | 3.5% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 935 | 6.4% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 842 | 5.8% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 2,916 | 20% |
| $3,000 or more | 9,229 | 63.4% |
| No property tax paid | 125 | 0.9% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $3,712 and owners without one pay $3,897. That is within 10% either way, so in Knox County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Knox County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $3,786 is about 4.5% of the median income of Knox County homeowner households, $83,947 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 78.7% of Knox 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 Knox County?
Yes. The median bill went from $2,903 in 2015-2019 to $3,786 in 2020-2024, a 30.4% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 52.2%, from $213,400 to $324,900. 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 Knox County
Knox County borders 3 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County, ME (this county) | 1.17% | $3,786 | $324,900 |
| Waldo County, ME | 1.04% | $2,684 | $257,700 |
| Lincoln County, ME | 0.85% | $2,828 | $332,700 |
| Hancock County, ME | 0.83% | $2,561 | $310,400 |
How is a home assessed in Knox County?
Maine sets the assessment rules and Knox County applies them. How Maine assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Knox County?
Yes. Maine's homestead exemption removes up to $25,000 of just value from a permanent resident's home, adjusted by the town's certified ratio. Apply once with the town assessor by April 1. That is the Maine rule, and it applies in Knox County. Maine's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Knox County?
Maine sets no statewide due date and no statewide number of installments. Each municipality votes its own payment dates when it raises the tax, along with the dates interest starts and the taxes become delinquent, so a town may bill once a year, twice, or quarterly. Check your own tax bill or town office. Towns may also vote a discount of up to 10% for taxpayers who pay early.
That is the Maine rule. Knox County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Knox County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the your local assessors, then the municipal board of assessment review or the county commissioners, then Superior Court. The filing deadline is typically 185 days after the commitment date. That is the Maine rule; Knox County sets the exact dates and forms. The Maine appeal process step by step.
Maine rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Maine 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 Knox 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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Maine income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Maine actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Knox County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Knox County, Maine: 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.