Property tax in Wayne County, Michigan
The median property tax bill in Wayne County, Michigan is $2,904 a year, which is about 1.63% of the county's median home value of $178,500. That effective rate is higher than the typical Michigan county (1.09%) 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 Wayne County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Wayne County's average effective rate of 1.63% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $2,910 / year
Property tax in Wayne County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $2,904 |
| Median home value | $178,500 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.63% |
| Typical Michigan county rate | 1.09% |
| 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 Wayne County compare in Michigan?
Among Michigan's 83 counties, Wayne County has the 2nd highest effective property-tax rate: 1 rank higher and 81 rank lower. That places it among the most heavily taxed counties in the state. Nationally, it ranks 238th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Michigan county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Wayne County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Wayne County's 453,652 owner-occupied homes, 45.1% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 63.3% pay at least $2,000, and 5.8% pay under $800. Another 6.2% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 26,369 | 5.8% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 68,024 | 15% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 43,675 | 9.6% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 82,507 | 18.2% |
| $3,000 or more | 204,767 | 45.1% |
| No property tax paid | 28,310 | 6.2% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $3,459 and owners without one pay $2,352. 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 Wayne County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $2,904 is about 3.7% of the median income of Wayne County homeowner households, $77,774 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 64.8% of Wayne 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 Wayne County?
Yes. The median bill went from $2,464 in 2015-2019 to $2,904 in 2020-2024, a 17.9% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 58%, from $113,000 to $178,500. 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 Wayne County
Wayne County borders 4 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, MI (this county) | 1.63% | $2,904 | $178,500 |
| Washtenaw County, MI | 1.52% | $5,678 | $374,100 |
| Macomb County, MI | 1.4% | $3,404 | $243,900 |
| Oakland County, MI | 1.27% | $4,371 | $343,600 |
| Monroe County, MI | 1.16% | $2,648 | $228,900 |
How is a home assessed in Wayne County?
Michigan assesses homes at 50% of market value in every county, Wayne County included. How Michigan assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Wayne County?
Yes, but not as a dollar amount. Michigan's Principal Residence Exemption exempts your primary home from the local school operating millage, up to 18 mills. File Form 2368 with your assessor. That is the Michigan rule, and it applies in Wayne County. Michigan's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Wayne County?
Two bills a year: a summer bill, commonly due mid-September, and a winter bill, commonly due mid-February. Exact dates are set by each city or township charter and do vary, so check with your local treasurer.
Michigan splits the bill into 2 installments. That is the Michigan rule. Wayne County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Wayne County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the Local Board of Review, then the Michigan Tax Tribunal. The filing deadline is typically July 31 for residential property (Tax Tribunal). That is the Michigan rule; Wayne County sets the exact dates and forms. The Michigan appeal process step by step.
Michigan rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Michigan 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 Wayne 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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Michigan income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Michigan actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Wayne County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Wayne County, Michigan: 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.