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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Northampton County, Virginia

Northampton County has an effective property tax rate of 0.57%. On the median home value of $316,200, that's roughly $1,807 per year. Median household income is $61,632.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.57%
median tax $1,807 ÷ median home $316,200
Median Home Value1
$316,200
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$61,632
per-capita $44,222
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$1,807
at 0.57% 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.

MetricNorthampton CountyVirginia (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.57%0.60%
Median home value1$316,200—
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 Northampton County, VA

Northampton County’s effective property tax rate of 0.571% comes in slightly under Virginia’s statewide median of 0.601%, placing it 78th among the state’s 133 counties. That gap is narrow, but it still signals a county taxing below the middle of its own state. Against the national median of 0.794%, the difference widens considerably, with Northampton sitting well beneath the broader U.S. figure. A median home value of $316,200 produces an annual real-estate tax bill of about $1,807. Households here earn a median of $61,632, while per-capita income reaches $44,222. Cape Charles, the largest of the county’s communities alongside Birdsnest and Cheriton, sits within this tax landscape. The overall picture is a locality whose property taxes land below both state and national benchmarks, which can matter for buyers weighing affordability along Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Northampton County, VA?
The effective rate is 0.57% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.57% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($316,200), the estimated annual bill is about $1,807.
Is Northampton 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 Northampton 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 Northampton 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.