Florida Property Tax Rates 2026: County Comparison + Monthly Cost Breakdown

Florida property taxes average around 0.83% of assessed home value per year - but that number tells you almost nothing useful before you buy. Your actual monthly cost depends on which county you're in, whether you qualify for a homestead exemption, and what the home's assessed value is, not its sale price.

This guide gives you the real numbers: rates by county, monthly cost examples, and the calculation steps you need before making an offer.

Florida's statewide average effective property tax rate is approximately 0.83% of assessed value (Source: Florida Department of Revenue, 2025). On a $400,000 home, that's about $3,320 per year - roughly $277 per month before homestead exemption. Rates vary significantly by county, from under 0.60% in some rural areas to over 1.20% in others.

In Florida, county governments set property tax rates, collect them, and use the revenue to fund schools, roads, and emergency services - there's no state income tax, so local services run almost entirely on property taxes. The state levies no income tax, so property tax funds local services - schools, fire departments, road maintenance, and county operations.

The amount you owe each year is based on your property's assessed value, set by the county property appraiser. Assessed value is often lower than market value, particularly for homes protected by the Save Our Homes cap.

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Florida uses a millage-rate system. One mill equals $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value.

Step 1: Start with assessed value. The county property appraiser determines your home's just value (market value) and assessed value. For most homesteaded properties, assessed value increases are capped at 3% per year or the CPI, whichever is lower, under the Save Our Homes amendment.

Step 2: Subtract exemptions. Florida's standard homestead exemption removes $25,000 from taxable value for all taxing authorities, and an additional $25,000 from non-school portions of the millage - an effective total of up to $50,000. (Source: Florida Department of Revenue)

Step 3: Apply the millage rate. Multiply taxable value by the county's total millage rate, then divide by 1,000.

Step 4: Divide by 12 for monthly impact. Your lender will typically escrow property taxes in your monthly mortgage payment. Knowing your annual bill gives you the exact monthly escrow before you make an offer.

Example - $400,000 home, Miami-Dade County:

• Assessed value: $400,000

• Minus homestead exemption: $50,000

• Taxable value: $350,000

• Miami-Dade total millage: approximately 18.6 mills (2025)

• Annual tax: $350,000 × 18.6 ÷ 1,000 = $6,510

• Monthly cost: $542.50

The table below shows effective rates, median home prices, and estimated annual and monthly costs. Figures use 2025 millage data and median assessed values from county appraisers; 2026 figures are preliminary where final millage has not yet been adopted. Monthly costs reflect no homestead exemption, so your actual payment will be lower if you qualify.

Methodology: County comparisons are based strictly on objective financial data - effective tax rates, median home prices, and estimated annual and monthly tax costs derived from county assessor data and Florida Department of Revenue millage tables. No county is evaluated on the basis of resident characteristics.

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Most buyers focus on purchase price and interest rate. Property taxes are the third number - and they can shift your monthly payment by hundreds of dollars depending on where you buy.

10-year cost modeling on a $400,000 home:

The gap between Sarasota and Broward on the same $400,000 home is $1,000 per year - roughly $83 per month. Over 10 years, that's $10,000.

Buyer scenario - $350,000 home, Orange County:

• Annual tax, no exemption: $3,325 → $277/month

• With homestead exemption ($50,000 off taxable value): approx. $2,850/year → $238/month

• Monthly savings from homestead: ~$39, or $468 per year

All comparisons in this section are based strictly on tax burden and long-term cost of ownership.

If you buy a home in Florida and make it your primary residence, you qualify for the homestead exemption - one of the most valuable tax benefits in the state.

What it is: Not a check in the mail - a reduction in the value your tax bill is calculated from. That means you pay tax on less of your home's value, every year you own it.

How much it saves: The standard exemption removes $25,000 from taxable value for all taxing authorities, plus an additional $25,000 from non-school millage portions, for an effective total of up to $50,000. At a 1% effective rate, that's up to $500 in annual savings. (Source: Florida Department of Revenue)

Save Our Homes cap: Once homesteaded, assessed value can only increase by 3% per year or the change in CPI, whichever is lower. In a rising market, this is often worth more than the exemption itself - long-term homeowners in high-appreciation areas may have assessed values far below current market price.

• Property must be your permanent residence as of January 1 of the tax year

• File with your county property appraiser by March 1

• You can hold only one homestead at a time

Florida also offers additional exemptions for qualifying seniors, Veterans, widows, and persons with disabilities. Check with your county appraiser for current eligibility rules. (Source: Florida Department of Revenue)

Yes, in most counties. Three factors are driving higher bills.

• Rising home prices and annual reassessment. Florida counties reassess every year. New buyers reset to full market value - with no benefit from a previous owner's Save Our Homes cap history. As home prices have risen across the state, new buyers face assessed values that reflect those increases from day one. (Source: Florida Department of Revenue, 2025)
• Millage rate adjustments. Local governments adjust millage rates annually. Several Florida counties have raised rates to fund infrastructure, school budgets, and emergency services. Even when millage holds steady, higher assessed values produce higher bills.
• Population growth. Florida added approximately 467,000 residents between 2023 and 2024, the second-largest gain of any state. That growth increases demand for local services, which local governments fund through property tax revenue.

Based on 2025 effective rate data, three counties stand out for lower tax burden:

• Sarasota County - approximately 0.82% effective rate. Among larger counties with substantial housing inventory, Sarasota has one of the lower effective rates. Median home prices in the $400,000 range mean tax cost per dollar of home value is contained.

• Leon County - approximately 0.85% effective rate. Lower millage combined with a $280,000 median price makes this one of the lower absolute annual-cost options in the state.

• Seminole County - approximately 0.87% effective rate. Adjacent to Orange County with lower effective rates and access to the same metro employment base.

• A low rate in a high-price county may cost more per year than a moderate rate in a lower-price county. Always run the annual-cost math - not just the rate - before comparing locations.