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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in St. Louis County, Missouri

St. Louis County has an effective property tax rate of 1.21%. On the median home value of $276,800, that's roughly $3,335 per year. Median household income is $82,936.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.21%
median tax $3,335 ÷ median home $276,800
Median Home Value1
$276,800
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$82,936
per-capita $51,977
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$3,335
at 1.21% 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.

MetricSt. Louis CountyMissouri (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.21%0.70%
Median home value1$276,800—
State income tax3top rate 4.80%top rate 4.80%
State sales tax38.44% combined8.44% 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 St. Louis County, MO

Buying in St. Louis County means weighing a higher tax rate against home prices that stay below many metro areas. The median home value here is $276,800, and the median annual real-estate tax bill comes to $3,335. That reflects an effective rate of 1.205%, which sits well above Missouri's statewide median of 0.705% and also tops the national median of 0.794%. Among the state's 115 counties, this one ranks 1st for property tax rate, so buyers should expect taxes to take a meaningful share of ownership costs. Income levels help offset that: the median household earns $82,936, and per-capita income is $51,977. Communities like Saint Louis, Florissant, and Ballwin offer a range of housing options, letting buyers trade location and size against what they'll owe each year.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in St. Louis County, MO?
The effective rate is 1.21% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.21% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($276,800), the estimated annual bill is about $3,335.
Is St. Louis 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 St. Louis 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 St. Louis 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.