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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Tompkins County, New York

Tompkins County has an effective property tax rate of 2.24%. On the median home value of $290,900, that's roughly $6,515 per year. Median household income is $74,024.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
2.24%
median tax $6,515 ÷ median home $290,900
Median Home Value1
$290,900
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$74,024
per-capita $41,808
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$6,515
at 2.24% 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.

MetricTompkins CountyNew York (state context)
Effective property tax rate12.24%2.04%
Median home value1$290,900—
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 Tompkins County, NY

Buying a home in Tompkins County means weighing a median value of $290,900 against an effective property tax rate of 2.240% — noticeably higher than New York's statewide median of 2.040%, and well above the national figure of 0.794%. That rate translates into a median annual tax bill of $6,515, a real cost to factor into any budget. Against a median household income of $74,024, the tax alone absorbs nearly nine cents of every dollar earned, before mortgage principal and interest enter the picture. Per-capita income sits at $41,808. The county ranks 22nd of 62 in New York for property tax rate, so it falls in the upper-middle tier statewide. Ithaca, the largest community here alongside Etna and Freeville, anchors much of the local housing market. Prospective buyers should plan carefully, since both purchase prices and ongoing tax obligations run above average.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Tompkins County, NY?
The effective rate is 2.24% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 2.24% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($290,900), the estimated annual bill is about $6,515.
Is Tompkins 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 Tompkins 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 Tompkins 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.