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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Nelson County, Virginia

Nelson County has an effective property tax rate of 0.50%. On the median home value of $321,700, that's roughly $1,622 per year. Median household income is $72,589.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.50%
median tax $1,622 ÷ median home $321,700
Median Home Value1
$321,700
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$72,589
per-capita $45,844
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$1,622
at 0.50% 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.

MetricNelson CountyVirginia (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.50%0.60%
Median home value1$321,700—
State income tax3top rate 5.75%top rate 5.75%
State sales tax35.77% combined5.77% 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 Nelson County, VA

Buying in Nelson County means weighing a median home value of $321,700 against an annual property tax bill of about $1,622, based on an effective rate of 0.504%. That rate sits below Virginia's statewide median of 0.601% and well under the national figure of 0.794%, so taxes here take a smaller share of what a home is worth than in many other places. Households earning around $72,589 a year, with per-capita income near $45,844, may find the carrying costs easier to absorb. Within Virginia, the county ranks 108th of 133 for property tax rate. Lovingston, the county seat and largest of its communities alongside Piney River and Shipman, anchors a rural setting where lower taxes stretch a buyer's budget further.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Nelson County, VA?
The effective rate is 0.50% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.50% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($321,700), the estimated annual bill is about $1,622.
Is Nelson County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.60% 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 Nelson 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 Nelson 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.