Property tax in Washington County, Vermont
The median property tax bill in Washington County, Vermont is $5,498 a year, which is about 1.75% of the county's median home value of $315,000. That effective rate is higher than the typical Vermont county (1.65%) 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 Washington County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Washington County's average effective rate of 1.75% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $5,513 / year
Property tax in Washington County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $5,498 |
| Median home value | $315,000 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.75% |
| Typical Vermont county rate | 1.65% |
| 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 Washington County compare in Vermont?
Among Vermont's 14 counties, Washington County has the 6th highest effective property-tax rate: 5 rank higher and 8 rank lower. That is near the middle for Vermont. Nationally, it ranks 167th of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Vermont county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Washington County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Washington County's 19,047 owner-occupied homes, 84.3% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 91.8% pay at least $2,000, and 2.2% pay under $800.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 423 | 2.2% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 605 | 3.2% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 393 | 2.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 1,428 | 7.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 16,056 | 84.3% |
| No property tax paid | 142 | 0.7% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $5,766 and owners without one pay $4,944. 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 Washington County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $5,498 is about 5.6% of the median income of Washington County homeowner households, $98,117 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 73.7% of Washington 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 Washington County?
Yes. The median bill went from $4,687 in 2015-2019 to $5,498 in 2020-2024, a 17.3% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 38.8%, from $226,900 to $315,000. 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 Washington County
Washington County borders 5 counties.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caledonia County, VT | 1.76% | $4,022 | $227,900 |
| Washington County, VT (this county) | 1.75% | $5,498 | $315,000 |
| Orange County, VT | 1.66% | $4,516 | $271,300 |
| Addison County, VT | 1.58% | $5,690 | $361,200 |
| Lamoille County, VT | 1.57% | $4,785 | $304,700 |
| Chittenden County, VT | 1.51% | $6,617 | $439,200 |
How is a home assessed in Washington County?
Vermont sets the assessment rules and Washington County applies them. How Vermont assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Washington County?
No dollar exemption. Filing Vermont Form HS-122 by April 15 puts your home in the homestead category for the statewide education tax, which is not always the cheaper rate. That is the Vermont rule, and it applies in Washington County. Vermont's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Washington County?
There is no statewide due date in Vermont. Your town mails one bill a year, generally about 30 days before the first payment is due, and the town decides whether it is paid in one lump sum or in installments; state law lets a town collect in up to four. Payment goes to the town treasurer or tax collector, never to the Department of Taxes.
That is the Vermont rule. Washington County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Washington County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the your town's listers or assessor (grievance), then the Board of Civil Authority. The filing deadline is typically 14 calendar days after the listers mail their grievance decision. That is the Vermont rule; Washington County sets the exact dates and forms. The Vermont appeal process step by step.
Vermont rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Vermont 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 Washington 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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Vermont income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Vermont actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Washington County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Washington County, Vermont: 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.