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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Jefferson County, Wisconsin

Jefferson County has an effective property tax rate of 1.46%. On the median home value of $274,100, that's roughly $4,005 per year. Median household income is $83,750.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.46%
median tax $4,005 ÷ median home $274,100
Median Home Value1
$274,100
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$83,750
per-capita $41,881
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$4,005
at 1.46% 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.

MetricJefferson CountyWisconsin (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.46%1.36%
Median home value1$274,100—
State income tax3top rate 7.65%top rate 7.65%
State sales tax35.72% combined5.72% 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 Jefferson County, WI

Jefferson County's effective property tax rate of 1.461% sits above Wisconsin's statewide median of 1.362%, a gap that places the county 19th among the state's 72 counties for property tax burden. That ranking signals a heavier-than-average reliance on property taxes locally, and the median annual bill of $4,005 reflects it against a median home value of $274,100. Compared with the national median effective rate of 0.794%, the difference is stark — Jefferson County homeowners pay proportionally far more than the average American. Households earning a median of $83,750 absorb that bill, while per-capita income stands at $41,881. Communities such as Watertown and Johnson Creek share in this tax environment, which shapes both housing costs and the appeal of the area for buyers weighing affordability against local services.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Jefferson County, WI?
The effective rate is 1.46% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.46% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($274,100), the estimated annual bill is about $4,005.
Is Jefferson County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 1.36% 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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.