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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in King County, Washington

King County has an effective property tax rate of 0.83%. On the median home value of $859,900, that's roughly $7,114 per year. Median household income is $124,746.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.83%
median tax $7,114 ÷ median home $859,900
Median Home Value1
$859,900
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$124,746
per-capita $74,100
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$7,114
at 0.83% 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.

MetricKing CountyWashington (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.83%0.73%
Median home value1$859,900—
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 King County, WA

Buying in King County means weighing some of the state's steepest home prices against a property tax rate that sits above average. The median home value here is $859,900, and the annual real-estate tax bill on that home comes to $7,114, based on an effective rate of 0.827%. That rate edges past Washington's statewide median of 0.730% and also clears the national figure of 0.794%. Among the state's 39 counties, King County ranks sixth for property tax rate. In Seattle, Bellevue, and Renton, the combination of high valuations and above-average rates means owners should expect a substantial annual obligation. Household income helps offset this: the median household earns $124,746, and per-capita income is $74,100. Whether the tax bill feels affordable depends largely on how those earnings line up with the price of the home you buy.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in King County, WA?
The effective rate is 0.83% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.83% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($859,900), the estimated annual bill is about $7,114.
Is King 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 King 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 King 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.