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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Adams County, Washington

Adams County has an effective property tax rate of 0.79%. On the median home value of $273,300, that's roughly $2,147 per year. Median household income is $66,136.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.79%
median tax $2,147 ÷ median home $273,300
Median Home Value1
$273,300
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$66,136
per-capita $28,514
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$2,147
at 0.79% 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.

MetricAdams CountyWashington (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.79%0.73%
Median home value1$273,300—
State income tax3No state income taxNo state income tax
State sales tax39.57% combined9.57% 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 Adams County, WA

In Adams County, Washington, the median home value sits at $273,300, and the annual property tax bill on such a home comes to about $2,147. That works out to an effective rate of 0.786%, which is higher than Washington's statewide median of 0.730% and places the county 12th among the state's 39 counties. Nationally, the average rate is 0.794%, so Adams County lands just below that benchmark. For buyers weighing affordability, the combination of a below-national-average rate and home prices well under what many metro areas command could stretch a budget further. Ritzville, the largest of the county's communities alongside Benge and Lind, anchors much of the local housing stock. With median household income at $66,136 and per-capita income of $28,514, the tax bill amounts to roughly 3% of a typical household's annual earnings.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Adams County, WA?
The effective rate is 0.79% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.79% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($273,300), the estimated annual bill is about $2,147.
Is Adams County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 0.73% 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 Adams 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 Adams 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.