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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Cayuga County, New York

Cayuga County has an effective property tax rate of 2.19%. On the median home value of $171,000, that's roughly $3,740 per year. Median household income is $67,904.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
2.19%
median tax $3,740 ÷ median home $171,000
Median Home Value1
$171,000
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$67,904
per-capita $36,905
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$3,740
at 2.19% 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.

MetricCayuga CountyNew York (state context)
Effective property tax rate12.19%2.04%
Median home value1$171,000—
State income tax3top rate 10.90%top rate 10.90%
State sales tax38.54% combined8.54% 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 Cayuga County, NY

Cayuga County's effective property tax rate of 2.187% sits above New York's statewide median of 2.040%, placing it 26th among the state's 62 counties. Compared with the national median of 0.794%, the county's rate is roughly two and a half times higher, a gap that reflects New York's heavier reliance on property taxes overall. On a median home value of $171,000, that rate produces an annual tax bill near $3,740. Households earning a median of $67,904 devote a meaningful share of income to that bill, while per-capita income stands at $36,905. Auburn, the largest of the county's principal communities, anchors a housing market where taxes are a real factor in affordability. Buyers weighing Cayuga County against cheaper-tax states should expect a notably higher carrying cost.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Cayuga County, NY?
The effective rate is 2.19% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 2.19% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($171,000), the estimated annual bill is about $3,740.
Is Cayuga County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 2.04% 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 Cayuga 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 Cayuga 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.