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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Washington County, Rhode Island

Washington County has an effective property tax rate of 1.00%. On the median home value of $510,800, that's roughly $5,102 per year. Median household income is $106,638.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.00%
median tax $5,102 ÷ median home $510,800
Median Home Value1
$510,800
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$106,638
per-capita $56,069
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$5,102
at 1.00% 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.

MetricWashington CountyRhode Island (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.00%1.25%
Median home value1$510,800—
State income tax3top rate 5.99%top rate 5.99%
State sales tax37.00% combined7.00% 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 Washington County, RI

Buying in Washington County means weighing a higher-than-average home price against a tax bill that is easier on the wallet than much of Rhode Island. The median home here costs $510,800, and the county's effective property tax rate of 0.999% produces a median annual bill of $5,102. That rate sits below Rhode Island's statewide median of 1.253%, and among the state's five counties, this one ranks fourth for property tax rate. Nationally, though, the picture shifts: the U.S. median effective rate is 0.794%, so Washington County buyers pay somewhat more than the country as a whole. Households earning the median income of $106,638 would devote roughly 4.8% of that to property taxes. Towns such as Ashaway, Block Island, and Bradford anchor the county, with per-capita income at $56,069. For anyone comparing affordability, the tradeoff is clear: steep purchase prices paired with taxes that undercut most of the state.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Washington County, RI?
The effective rate is 1.00% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.00% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($510,800), the estimated annual bill is about $5,102.
Is Washington County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 1.25% 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 Washington 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 Washington 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.