County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in McHenry County, Illinois

McHenry County has an effective property tax rate of 2.36%. On the median home value of $308,100, that's roughly $7,274 per year. Median household income is $104,802.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
2.36%
median tax $7,274 ÷ median home $308,100
Median Home Value1
$308,100
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$104,802
per-capita $49,388
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$7,274
at 2.36% 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.

MetricMcHenry CountyIllinois (state context)
Effective property tax rate12.36%1.80%
Median home value1$308,100
State income tax3top rate 4.95%top rate 4.95%
State sales tax38.98% combined8.98% 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 McHenry County, IL

McHenry County's effective property tax rate of 2.361% sits well above Illinois's statewide median of 1.804%, and it dwarfs the national median of 0.794%. That gap places the county sixth among Illinois's 102 counties for property tax rate, a ranking driven by a median annual real-estate bill of $7,274 against a median home value of $308,100. Households here earn a median of $104,802, with per-capita income at $49,388, so the tax load lands on a fairly affluent population, yet the bill still consumes a noticeable share of income. Communities such as Crystal Lake, Hebron, and Richmond reflect the county's mix of suburban and rural character. Anyone considering a move to the area should weigh the tax rate alongside the home prices, since both run higher than what most American counties charge.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in McHenry County, IL?
The effective rate is 2.36% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 2.36% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($308,100), the estimated annual bill is about $7,274.
Is McHenry County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 1.80% 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 McHenry 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 McHenry 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.