County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in San Juan County, Washington

San Juan County has an effective property tax rate of 0.53%. On the median home value of $799,200, that's roughly $4,253 per year. Median household income is $84,800.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
0.53%
median tax $4,253 ÷ median home $799,200
Median Home Value1
$799,200
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$84,800
per-capita $63,950
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$4,253
at 0.53% 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.

MetricSan Juan CountyWashington (state context)
Effective property tax rate10.53%0.73%
Median home value1$799,200
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 San Juan County, WA

San Juan County’s effective property tax rate of 0.532% sits well below Washington’s statewide median of 0.730% and the national median of 0.794%. Among the state’s 39 counties, it ranks last—39th—meaning no county in Washington taxes property at a lower effective rate. That distinction matters along the county’s waterfront communities, from Blakely Island to Deer Harbor to Eastsound, where median home values reach $799,200. Even at that price point, the median annual real-estate tax bill lands at $4,253, a figure shaped by the low rate rather than by cheap housing. Households here earn a median of $84,800, with per-capita income at $63,950. The gap between this county’s rate and both state and national benchmarks signals a property tax climate that leans unusually lightly on owners compared with most of the country.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in San Juan County, WA?
The effective rate is 0.53% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 0.53% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($799,200), the estimated annual bill is about $4,253.
Is San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan 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.