Property tax in Wasco County, Oregon
The median property tax bill in Wasco County, Oregon is $2,828 a year, which is about 0.77% of the county's median home value of $367,400. That effective rate is higher 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 Wasco County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Wasco County's average effective rate of 0.77% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $2,829 / year
Property tax in Wasco County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $2,828 |
| Median home value | $367,400 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.77% |
| 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 Wasco County compare in Oregon?
Among Oregon's 36 counties, Wasco County has the 16th highest effective property-tax rate: 15 rank higher and 20 rank lower. That is near the middle for Oregon. Nationally, it ranks 1684th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Oregon county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Wasco County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Wasco County's 7,131 owner-occupied homes, 43.3% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 64.8% pay at least $2,000, and 7% pay under $800. Another 6% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 499 | 7% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 606 | 8.5% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 977 | 13.7% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 1,532 | 21.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 3,088 | 43.3% |
| No property tax paid | 429 | 6% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $2,924 and owners without one pay $2,659. That is within 10% either way, so in Wasco County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Wasco County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $2,828 is about 3.6% of the median income of Wasco County homeowner households, $77,779 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 67.5% of Wasco 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 Wasco County?
Yes. The median bill went from $2,353 in 2015-2019 to $2,828 in 2020-2024, a 20.2% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 72.6%, from $212,900 to $367,400. 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 Wasco County
Wasco County borders 8 counties, 1 of them across the state line.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilliam County, OR | 1.01% | $1,904 | $189,300 |
| Clackamas County, OR | 0.85% | $5,171 | $611,000 |
| Marion County, OR | 0.84% | $3,490 | $416,400 |
| Wasco County, OR (this county) | 0.77% | $2,828 | $367,400 |
| Sherman County, OR | 0.75% | $1,588 | $211,800 |
| Jefferson County, OR | 0.69% | $2,591 | $374,200 |
| Wheeler County, OR | 0.69% | $1,893 | $272,400 |
| Klickitat County, WA | 0.62% | $2,639 | $425,300 |
| Hood River County, OR | 0.53% | $3,515 | $660,000 |
How is a home assessed in Wasco County?
Oregon sets the assessment rules and Wasco County applies them. How Oregon assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Wasco 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 Wasco County. Oregon's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Wasco 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. Wasco County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Wasco 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; Wasco 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
-
How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Wasco County's tax rate to hand.
-
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
-
Oregon income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Oregon actually taxes.
-
Sales tax in Wasco County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Wasco 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.