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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Lake County, California

Lake County has an effective property tax rate of 0.73%. On the median home value of $324,300, that's roughly $2,369 per year. Median household income is $60,621.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.73%
median tax $2,369 ÷ median home $324,300
Median Home Value1
$324,300
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$60,621
per-capita $35,372
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$2,369
at 0.73% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricLake CountyCalifornia (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.73%0.70%
Median home value1$324,300—
State income tax3top rate 13.30%top rate 13.30%
State sales tax39.03% combined9.03% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Lake County, CA

For buyers weighing a move to Lake County, the cost picture leans toward affordability. The median home value sits at $324,300, and the annual property tax bill on that home comes to about $2,369, based on an effective rate of 0.730%. That rate edges past California's statewide median of 0.698% and places the county 19th of 58 on the state's tax-rate ranking, though it stays below the national median of 0.794%. Households here earn a median of $60,621, with per-capita income at $35,372. Among the county's communities, Clearlake is the largest. Someone comparing markets will find that lower home prices do more to shape the overall cost of ownership than the tax rate itself, since the rate is only slightly above the state norm while values remain well under many California markets.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Lake County, CA?
The effective rate is 0.73% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.73% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($324,300), the estimated annual bill is about $2,369.
Is Lake County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.70% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Lake County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Lake County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.