Property tax in Tompkins County, New York
The median property tax bill in Tompkins County, New York is $6,515 a year, which is about 2.24% of the county's median home value of $290,900. That effective rate is higher than the typical New York county (2.04%) 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 Tompkins County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Tompkins County's average effective rate of 2.24% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $6,516 / year
Property tax in Tompkins County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $6,515 |
| Median home value | $290,900 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.24% |
| Typical New York county rate | 2.04% |
| 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 Tompkins County compare in New York?
Among New York's 62 counties, Tompkins County has the 22nd highest effective property-tax rate: 21 rank higher and 40 rank lower. That is on the higher side for New York. Nationally, it ranks 43rd of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every New York county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Tompkins County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Tompkins County's 23,422 owner-occupied homes, 79.5% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 84.8% pay at least $2,000, and 1.3% pay under $800. Another 6.4% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 302 | 1.3% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 997 | 4.3% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 756 | 3.2% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 1,252 | 5.3% |
| $3,000 or more | 18,615 | 79.5% |
| No property tax paid | 1,500 | 6.4% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $6,711 and owners without one pay $6,252. That is within 10% either way, so in Tompkins County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Tompkins County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $6,515 is about 5.7% of the median income of Tompkins County homeowner households, $113,365 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 54.1% of Tompkins 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 Tompkins County?
Yes. The median bill went from $5,217 in 2015-2019 to $6,515 in 2020-2024, a 24.9% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 42.2%, from $204,600 to $290,900. 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 Tompkins County
Tompkins County borders 6 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cortland County, NY | 2.56% | $4,149 | $162,100 |
| Chemung County, NY | 2.45% | $3,451 | $141,100 |
| Tioga County, NY | 2.33% | $3,751 | $160,800 |
| Tompkins County, NY (this county) | 2.24% | $6,515 | $290,900 |
| Cayuga County, NY | 2.19% | $3,740 | $171,000 |
| Seneca County, NY | 2.19% | $3,403 | $155,400 |
| Schuyler County, NY | 1.97% | $3,390 | $171,800 |
How is a home assessed in Tompkins County?
New York sets the assessment rules and Tompkins County applies them. How New York assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Tompkins County?
Not as a flat dollar amount. New York's main owner-occupancy benefit is STAR, which reduces school taxes for owners with income up to $500,000 (STAR credit) or $250,000 (STAR exemption). That is the New York rule, and it applies in Tompkins County. New York's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Tompkins County?
There is no single statewide due date. County, city, town, village and school taxes are billed separately, often on different calendars, so check with your local tax collector. March 1 is commonly the taxable status date for exemptions.
That is the New York rule. Tompkins County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Tompkins County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the Board of Assessment Review, then Small Claims Assessment Review or an Article 7 proceeding. That is the New York rule; Tompkins County sets the exact dates and forms. The New York appeal process step by step.
New York rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the New York 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 Tompkins 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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New York income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what New York actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Tompkins County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Tompkins County, New York: 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.