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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Santa Clara County, California

Santa Clara County has an effective property tax rate of 0.67%. On the median home value of $1,490,600, that's roughly $10,001 per year. Median household income is $164,281.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.67%
median tax $10,001 ÷ median home $1,490,600
Median Home Value1
$1,490,600
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$164,281
per-capita $80,312
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$10,001
at 0.67% 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.

MetricSanta Clara CountyCalifornia (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.67%0.70%
Median home value1$1,490,600—
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 Santa Clara County, CA

Santa Clara County's property tax rate of 0.671% sits below California's statewide median of 0.698%, and well under the national median of 0.794%. Ranked 42nd of 58 counties within the state, it offers one of California's lighter tax rates on paper. That advantage shrinks against the sheer cost of buying here: the median home value is $1,490,600, producing a median annual tax bill of $10,001. With median household income at $164,281 and per-capita income at $80,312, the tax itself is affordable for many existing owners, but the entry price is steep. Anyone considering a move to San Jose, Sunnyvale, or Santa Clara should weigh the lower rate against a purchase price that dwarfs most of the country's. The rate helps; the home value is the real hurdle.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Santa Clara County, CA?
The effective rate is 0.67% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.67% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($1,490,600), the estimated annual bill is about $10,001.
Is Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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.