Home›Property Tax›Michigan›Bay County
County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Bay County, Michigan

Bay County has an effective property tax rate of 1.49%. On the median home value of $152,200, that's roughly $2,271 per year. Median household income is $61,763.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.49%
median tax $2,271 ÷ median home $152,200
Median Home Value1
$152,200
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$61,763
per-capita $35,602
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$2,271
at 1.49% 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.

MetricBay CountyMichigan (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.49%1.09%
Median home value1$152,200—
State income tax3top rate 4.25%top rate 4.25%
State sales tax36.00% combined6.00% 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 Bay County, MI

In Bay County, Michigan, buying a home generally costs less than in many parts of the country — the median value sits at $152,200, and the annual property tax bill on such a home comes to $2,271. That tax equals 1.492% of value, which is higher than Michigan's statewide median rate of 1.087% and well above the national figure of 0.794%. Among the state's 83 counties, Bay County ranks 5th for property tax rate, so buyers here pay a steeper share than most Michiganders. Households earning the median income of $61,763 would devote roughly 3.7% of that to real-estate taxes. Bay City, Auburn, and Bentley anchor the county. Affordability depends on the balance: lower purchase prices offset the above-average rate, though the tax bill still takes a noticeable bite.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Bay County, MI?
The effective rate is 1.49% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.49% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($152,200), the estimated annual bill is about $2,271.
Is Bay County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 1.09% 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 Bay 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 Bay 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.