Estimate your California property tax based on the state's 0.71% average effective rate. Enter your home value for an instant, free calculation.
Enter any tax exemption amount you qualify for in California
California's property taxes are defined by Proposition 13, which caps the base tax at 1% of a home's assessed value and limits annual assessed-value growth to 2% until the property changes hands. Because long-held homes are taxed on their older purchase price rather than today's market value, California's effective rate lands below the national average even though home prices are among the country's highest.
Under Proposition 13 (1978), real property is assessed at its acquisition (purchase-price) value, with the general levy capped at 1% of assessed value and annual increases limited to 2% or CPI, whichever is lower, until a sale or new construction triggers reassessment. County assessors set values and county tax collectors bill; voter-approved bonds, special assessments, and Mello-Roos districts are added on top.
| Home Value | Estimated Annual Tax | Monthly (Escrow) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $1,775 | $148/mo |
| $600,000 | $4,260 | $355/mo |
| $659,000 (median) | $4,679 | $390/mo |
Effective rates vary within California. These figures are median-tax-to-median-value estimates from U.S. Census ACS data (2019–2023 5-year) for some of the most populous counties:
| County | Effective Rate |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 0.68% |
| San Diego County | 0.65% |
| Orange County | 0.62% |
| Riverside County | 0.75% |
| San Bernardino County | 0.67% |
| Santa Clara County | 0.64% |
| Alameda County | 0.80% |
| Sacramento County | 0.73% |
Among these counties, effective rates range from about 0.62% in Orange County to 0.80% in Alameda County. Your actual rate depends on the local mill/millage set by your county, city, and school district.
California offers a $7,000 Homeowners' Exemption that reduces the assessed value of an owner-occupied primary residence, saving roughly $70 per year. It is claimed once with the county assessor and stays in effect until the home is sold or is no longer owner-occupied.
The Disabled Veterans' Exemption removes a large share of assessed value for veterans with a total service-connected disability (about $169,769 basic, rising near $254,656 for qualifying low-income veterans, indexed annually). Proposition 19 lets homeowners 55 or older, the severely disabled, and disaster victims carry their lower assessed value to a replacement home, and the state's Property Tax Postponement program lets eligible seniors defer taxes.
Secured bills follow the July 1–June 30 fiscal year and are mailed by early November. The first installment is due November 1 (delinquent after December 10) and the second is due February 1 (delinquent after April 10), with a 10% penalty on late installments.
File an Assessment Appeal Application with the county Assessment Appeals Board. In most counties the regular window runs July 2 through November 30 (a few use July 2 through September 15), and supplemental or escape assessments must generally be appealed within 60 days of the notice.
California's statewide effective property tax rate is about 0.71% of home value, below the U.S. average. The nominal base rate is 1% of assessed value under Proposition 13, plus local voter-approved bonds and assessments.
Prop 13 caps the general tax at 1% of assessed value and limits annual assessed-value increases to 2%. Your home is reassessed to market value only when you buy it or complete new construction, so long-time owners often pay far less than 1% of current market value.
The first installment is due November 1 and delinquent after December 10; the second is due February 1 and delinquent after April 10.