Florida Property Tax Rates 2026: County Table & Savings

If you’re buying in Florida this year, property taxes aren’t a side detail - they’re a monthly cost decision. A 0.30% difference in effective rate can mean $1,200–$2,000 more per year on the same home price.

Before you look at counties, exemptions, or calculators, here’s the fast answer.

If you’re still early and deciding whether buying even makes sense this year, use this quick decision guide: rent or buy in Florida.

Florida’s average effective property tax rate is often cited around 0.75% statewide, though actual bills vary meaningfully by county, taxable value, and exemptions.

The national average is about 0.89%, so Florida typically comes in below the U.S. average.

Want the national context (and how Florida compares state-by-state)? See property tax in the US.

If you’re trying to model how taxes change affordability and approval odds, don’t skip the property tax impact on home buyers.

Snapshot Summary

• Florida Average Effective Rate (2026): ~0.82%
• National Average: ~1.02%
• Typical Annual Tax on a $400,000 Home in Florida: about $3,000 before exemptions, using a 0.75% statewide average.

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That’s money staying in your pocket - or going toward insurance, HOA, or principal.

Your actual rate depends on:

• County millage rate
• Assessed value (not always market value)
• Homestead exemption eligibility
• Save Our Homes cap limits

For example, a $400,000 home in one county could generate a $2,900 bill - while another could exceed $3,800.

And if you qualify for Florida’s homestead exemption, your taxable value may drop by $50,000 or more, reducing your bill significantly.

If you’re estimating affordability, your property tax should be built into your monthly payment - not guessed after closing.

State averages are helpful.

But your actual property tax bill depends on your county, and the difference can quietly cost you $1,000+ per year on the same home price.

Effective rate = what homeowners actually pay as a % of market value (after typical assessment ratios).

If you’re choosing where to live based on total monthly cost (not just list price), start here: top 10 affordable places to live in Florida.

If safety is part of the “value” equation alongside taxes, compare with: what are the safest places to live in Florida?

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Don't have an agent yet? Pair your reAlpha mortgage with a reAlpha agent, and you could get up to 1.5% cash back at closing.

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On a $400,000 home:

• Palm Beach (1.05%) → ~$4,200/year
• Polk (0.80%) → ~$3,200/year

That’s a $1,000 annual difference

→ or about $83 per month added to your mortgage payment.

Over 10 years?

That’s $10,000 lost just from choosing the wrong county.

Your bill is influenced by:

• County millage rate
• School board levies
• City-specific add-ons
• Assessed value adjustments
• Homestead exemption status

Two homes with identical prices in different counties will not pay the same tax.

Before making an offer, calculate:

1. County effective rate
2. Estimated annual tax
3. Monthly impact on your payment

Whether you qualify for homestead savings

Even a 0.20% rate difference can change your affordability threshold.

• Property Tax Rates in Major Florida Counties

• State averages are helpful.

But most buyers search by county name + property tax - not “Florida average.”

• Effective rate: ~0.80%
• $350,000 home: ~$2,800/year
• $400,000 home: ~$3,200/year

One of the lower effective rates among large counties.

On a $400K home, that’s roughly $80–$100/month less than higher-rate coastal counties.

• Effective rate: ~0.89%
• $400,000 home: ~$3,560/year
• $500,000 home: ~$4,450/year

Rates sit slightly above the state average.

Assessment resets after purchase can increase year-one bills.

Lee County, Florida Property Tax

• Effective rate: ~0.86%
• $400,000 home: ~$3,440/year
• $600,000 home: ~$5,160/year

Competitive compared to Southeast Florida counties, but still varies by city millage.

• Effective rate: ~0.92%
• $400,000 home: ~$3,680/year

Higher than Polk, lower than Palm Beach.

Small millage changes here equal $400+ per year on mid-range homes.

• Effective rate: ~1.05%
• $400,000 home: ~$4,200/year
• $1,000,000 home: ~$10,500/year

Among the highest effective rates in the state.

Choosing Palm Beach over Polk on a $400K home = ~$1,000 more annually.

A 0.20% difference between counties:

• = $800 per year on a $400K home
• = $8,000 over 10 years

And your assessed value often resets at purchase.

If you’ve ever wondered “How much is property tax in Florida?” or “What does millage rate mean?” - here’s the exact formula counties use.

Your county property appraiser determines your assessed value, which may differ from market value.

If you just bought the home, it often resets close to the purchase price.

Example:

• Home purchase price in Hillsborough County → $400,000
• Assessed value → $400,000

If this is your primary residence and you qualify for a homestead, annual assessment increases are capped at:

• 3% per year
• Or CPI (whichever is lower)

This protects long-term homeowners from massive tax jumps.

For a new buyer, this cap starts after year one.

Florida’s homestead exemption reduces your taxable value:

• First $25,000 exemption
• Additional $25,000 exemption (applies to value between $50k–$75k)

On a $400,000 home:

• Taxable value drops from $400,000
• For many non-school taxes, taxable value may be reduced by up to the homestead exemption amount. But school taxes are reduced only by the first exemption, and the second exemption applies only to the eligible value band.

That’s immediate tax savings.

• Millage rate = tax per $1,000 of taxable value.
• If Hillsborough’s combined millage is ~18 mills:
• 18 mills = 1.8%

So:

• $350,000 × 1.8% = $6,300

• But that’s the gross figure before effective adjustments.
• Hillsborough’s effective rate averages closer to 0.92%.
• Using effective rate: $400,000 × 0.92% = $3,680/year

To make sure you’re not mixing up “assessed value,” “taxable value,” and what your lender uses, this quick explainer helps: mortgage prequalification vs preapproval.

And if you want the clean “cost stack” for what you’ll actually bring to closing (where prepaid taxes show up), read: pre-closing costs explained.

Using the county’s effective rate is the simplest estimate for buyers: on a $400,000 home at a 0.92% effective rate, annual tax is about $3,680 before buyer-specific exemptions and assessment details.

A 0.25% rate difference equals:

• $1,000 per year on a $400k home
• Or about $83/month added to your mortgage

That’s the difference between qualifying comfortably and stretching.

If you own and live in your Florida home as your primary residence, the Florida homestead exemption can legally reduce your taxable value - and your annual bill.

For many homeowners, this is the difference between a manageable payment and an unexpected strain.

Here’s exactly how it works in 2026.

Applies to the first $25,000 of assessed value.

Reduces taxable value for all property taxes, including school taxes.

Additional homestead savings may apply above the first exemption, and the exact second-exemption amount now adjusts annually for inflation.

• New taxable value: $350,000

That’s immediate savings before millage is applied.

Once you qualify for a homestead:

• Annual assessment increases are capped at 3%
• Or CPI (Consumer Price Index) - whichever is lower

This protection prevents massive tax spikes when home values surge.

Example:

• If your home jumps from $400,000 to $450,000 in market value,
• Your taxable value may only increase 3%.

That’s thousands in avoided tax growth.

• Want the full eligibility rules + filing deadlines so you don’t lose a year of savings? Use this: Florida homestead exemption.
• If you’re a first-time buyer and want all Florida-specific programs that can stack with smarter tax planning, see: Florida first-time homebuyer programs.

Florida now adjusts the second homestead exemption annually for inflation, so the exact savings can vary by tax year.

This means:

• Homestead protection grows with CPI
• Your real tax burden doesn’t inflate as quickly as home prices

For long-term owners, this compounds into serious savings.

Estimated annual savings vary by tax district, but a rough ballpark is several hundred dollars per year rather than a one-size-fits-all number.

Homestead eligibility affects:

• Your long-term tax stability
• Your monthly affordability
• Your equity growth

Miss the filing deadline, and you lose a full year of savings.

Homestead isn’t the only way to lower your Florida property tax bill. Many homeowners qualify for additional exemptions - but never apply.

Here’s a quick overview.

• Many counties offer an extra $25,000–$50,000 exemption for seniors who meet income limits.
• At a 0.90% rate: $25,000 reduction = ~$225/year saved
• Some counties also offer a low-income senior tax freeze, locking in assessed value to prevent future increases.

Eligible veterans who are permanently and totally disabled may qualify for a full property tax exemption on their primary residence.

On a $400,000 home: 0.90% rate = ~$3,600/year eliminated

Additional exemptions (often ~$5,000 assessed value reduction) may apply.

At 0.90%:

• ~$45/year saved

Land used for bona fide agricultural purposes may be assessed at agricultural value instead of market value - potentially reducing taxes significantly on larger parcels.

Short answer: For many homeowners, yes - but not because the “rate” exploded.

Florida property taxes rise for three main reasons:

Even if millage rates stay stable, higher assessed values = higher tax bills.

Example:

That’s a $450 increase without any rate hike.

For non-homestead properties, there’s no 3% Save Our Homes protection, so jumps can be larger.

Counties and school boards can adjust millage rates annually.

Even a small change matters:

• 0.10% increase on a $400,000 home
• = $400 more per year

Some counties raise millage to offset:

• Infrastructure costs
• School funding
• Public safety budgets

Others keep rates stable - which is why county variation matters.

• Rising insurance costs indirectly pressure local budgets.
• Some municipalities adjust levies to balance public spending.

That doesn’t mean dramatic spikes statewide - but it does mean localized increases are common.

Two identical $400,000 homes in different counties can differ by:

• $800–$1,200 per year

That’s why watching both assessed value and millage rate matters in 2026.

There is no enacted Florida law eliminating property taxes in 2026.

There have been public discussions and proposals about reducing or restructuring property taxes. However:

• No elimination bill has passed.
• Counties still rely heavily on property tax revenue.
• Homeowners should expect property taxes to remain in place.

Always rely on official state and county sources for legislative updates.

Property taxes may rise in 2026 due to:

• Increased home values
• Local millage changes
• Budget adjustments

If your home value increases $50,000 and your rate is 0.90%, that’s $450 more per year - even without a “tax hike.”

And if you’re buying this year, your assessment may reset to purchase price -starting your tax clock immediately.

Because every $50,000 jump in value at 0.90% = $450 added to your annual bill.

Among the larger counties in this comparison, Polk is one of the lower-tax options.

These counties trend above the state average:

That’s a $1,000 annual difference between Polk (0.80%) and Palm Beach (1.05%) on the same home price.

Over 10 years?

That’s $10,000 in additional taxes paid.

Lower rates can come with:

• Higher HOA costs
• Different school funding models
• Longer commutes
• Fewer local services

Property taxes are just one piece of your total monthly cost.

Instead of just asking “Which county is cheapest?” ask:

1. What is the effective rate?
2. What is the median home value?
3. How will my assessed value reset after purchase?
4. Do I qualify for homestead savings?

A county with slightly higher rates but lower home prices can still cost less overall.

Because choosing a county without comparing tax impact can quietly cost you $80–$100 per month, every month you own the home.

If you’re buying at the $1M price point, property taxes stop being a small line item - and start becoming a five-figure annual decision.

Florida’s average effective rate (~0.82%) would suggest:

$1,000,000 × 0.82% ≈ $8,200 per year

But county variation changes everything.

That’s a $2,500 annual difference between lower- and higher-rate counties -on the same home value.

Yes - for Florida.

• At a 0.90% effective rate: $14,000 ÷ 0.009 = ~$1.55 million home value
• At 1.05%: $14,000 ÷ 0.0105 = ~$1.33 million home value

So if you’re paying $14,000 on a $1M home, either:

• The effective rate is unusually high, or
• The assessed value is closer to $1.3M–$1.5M

If you miss this, it’s not a small fee - it becomes a lien risk.

Here’s the exact Florida property tax payment timeline homeowners must follow.

• Tax bills mailed: On or before November 1
• Payment due (without penalty): March 31
• Delinquent date: April 1

If unpaid by April 1, your taxes become delinquent - and additional penalties apply.

Florida rewards early payment with automatic discounts:

On a $4,000 tax bill:

• Paying in November saves $160
• Waiting until March saves $0

That’s free money most homeowners forget to claim.

Property taxes reset based on your purchase price - not what the seller paid.

A $450,000 home in a 0.95% county:

• Annual tax: ~$4,275
• Monthly impact: ~$356 added to your payment

If that number isn’t included in your pre-approval, affordability can tighten fast.

And most buyers don’t lose money on price.

They lose it at closing.

Prepaid taxes, insurance escrows, and settlement fees can hit all at once.

When you purchase using a reAlpha real estate company, you may be eligible to receive up to 1% of the purchase price back at closing.

Finance through reAlpha Mortgage, and that can increase to up to 1.5% back, helping offset closing costs without changing your loan terms or monthly payment.

On a $450,000 home:

• 1% = $4,500 back
• 1.5% = $6,750 back

Because real affordability isn’t just the listing price.

It’s how much cash you keep on closing day.

Check your eligibility