Property tax in Jefferson County, Oregon
The median property tax bill in Jefferson County, Oregon is $2,591 a year, which is about 0.69% of the county's median home value of $374,200. That effective rate is lower than the typical Oregon county (0.74%) 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 Jefferson County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Jefferson County's average effective rate of 0.69% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $2,582 / year
Property tax in Jefferson County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $2,591 |
| Median home value | $374,200 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.69% |
| Typical Oregon county rate | 0.74% |
| 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 Jefferson County compare in Oregon?
Among Oregon's 36 counties, Jefferson County has the 25th highest effective property-tax rate: 24 rank higher and 11 rank lower. That is on the lower side for Oregon. Nationally, it ranks 1940th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Oregon county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Jefferson County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Jefferson County's 6,347 owner-occupied homes, 33.4% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 63.8% pay at least $2,000, and 6.3% pay under $800. Another 8.4% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 401 | 6.3% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 597 | 9.4% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 769 | 12.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 1,930 | 30.4% |
| $3,000 or more | 2,120 | 33.4% |
| No property tax paid | 530 | 8.4% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $2,674 and owners without one pay $2,386. 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 Jefferson County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $2,591 is about 3% of the median income of Jefferson County homeowner households, $86,624 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 72% of Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?
Yes. The median bill went from $2,016 in 2015-2019 to $2,591 in 2020-2024, a 28.5% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 66.6%, from $224,600 to $374,200. 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 Jefferson County
Jefferson County borders 6 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linn County, OR | 0.87% | $3,261 | $376,400 |
| Marion County, OR | 0.84% | $3,490 | $416,400 |
| Wasco County, OR | 0.77% | $2,828 | $367,400 |
| Wheeler County, OR | 0.69% | $1,893 | $272,400 |
| Jefferson County, OR (this county) | 0.69% | $2,591 | $374,200 |
| Crook County, OR | 0.64% | $2,972 | $467,000 |
| Deschutes County, OR | 0.58% | $3,807 | $650,900 |
How is a home assessed in Jefferson County?
Oregon sets the assessment rules and Jefferson County applies them. How Oregon assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Jefferson County?
No. Oregon has no statewide general homestead exemption; homeowners are protected instead by the 3% cap on assessed value growth and the caps on tax rates. That is the Oregon rule, and it applies in Jefferson County. Oregon's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Jefferson County?
Statements arrive in late October for a tax year running July 1 to June 30. Pay at least a third by November 15 to avoid interest, with the rest due February 15 and May 15. Pay the full year by November 15 for a 3% discount, or two thirds for 2%. Late installments cost 1.33% a month.
Oregon splits the bill into 3 installments. That is the Oregon rule. Jefferson County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Jefferson County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the County Property Value Appeals Board, then the Magistrate Division of the Oregon Tax Court. The filing deadline is typically December 31. That is the Oregon rule; Jefferson County sets the exact dates and forms. The Oregon appeal process step by step.
Oregon rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Oregon 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 Jefferson 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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Oregon income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Oregon actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Jefferson County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Jefferson County, Oregon: 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.