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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in San Francisco County, California

San Francisco County has an effective property tax rate of 0.71%. On the median home value of $1,394,500, that's roughly $9,862 per year. Median household income is $140,970.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.71%
median tax $9,862 ÷ median home $1,394,500
Median Home Value1
$1,394,500
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$140,970
per-capita $92,289
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$9,862
at 0.71% 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.

MetricSan Francisco CountyCalifornia (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.71%0.70%
Median home value1$1,394,500—
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 San Francisco County, CA

San Francisco County’s effective property tax rate of 0.707% edges just past California’s statewide median of 0.698%, placing it 23rd among the state’s 58 counties. That ranking sits in the middle of the pack, so homeowners in San Francisco aren’t facing an unusually steep rate by California standards, but they do pay slightly more than the state’s midpoint. Against the national median of 0.794%, however, this county comes in below average. The real weight here comes from property values rather than the rate itself: a median home worth $1,394,500 generates an annual tax bill near $9,862, even at a rate that looks tame. With median household income at $140,970 and per-capita income of $92,289, the tax load stays proportional to the area’s unusually high earnings and housing costs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in San Francisco County, CA?
The effective rate is 0.71% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.71% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($1,394,500), the estimated annual bill is about $9,862.
Is San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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.