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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Tensas Parish, Louisiana

Tensas Parish has an effective property tax rate of 0.26%. On the median home value of $86,300, that's roughly $221 per year. Median household income is $36,615.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.26%
median tax $221 ÷ median home $86,300
Median Home Value1
$86,300
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$36,615
per-capita $20,390
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$221
at 0.26% 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.

MetricTensas ParishLouisiana (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.26%0.44%
Median home value1$86,300—
State income tax3top rate 3.00%top rate 3.00%
State sales tax310.13% combined10.13% 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 Tensas Parish, LA

Property taxes in Tensas Parish run well below both state and national norms. The parish's effective rate of 0.256% trails Louisiana's statewide median of 0.438% and sits far beneath the national median of 0.794%. Among Louisiana's 64 counties, Tensas Parish ranks 61st for property tax rate, placing it near the very bottom. That low rate translates into a median annual tax bill of just $221 on a median home value of $86,300. Households here earn a median of $36,615, with per-capita income at $20,390. Saint Joseph, the parish seat, along with Newellton and Waterproof, anchor this small rural community. The pattern signals that local government relies less heavily on property taxation than most places do, which keeps ownership costs down even where incomes are limited.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Tensas Parish, LA?
The effective rate is 0.26% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.26% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($86,300), the estimated annual bill is about $221.
Is Tensas Parish's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.44% 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 Tensas Parish 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 Tensas Parish 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.