Estimate your Hawaii property tax based on the state's 0.27% average effective rate. Enter your home value for an instant, free calculation.
Enter any tax exemption amount you qualify for in Hawaii
Hawaii has the lowest effective property tax rate in the United States, and it's run entirely by its four county governments — there's no state property tax. Generous owner-occupied home exemptions keep effective rates far below the national average even though home values are the nation's highest.
Hawaii has no state property tax; the four county governments administer it. Each county appraises property annually at 100% of fair market value, subtracts applicable exemptions, and applies its own rates by property class, expressed as dollars per $1,000 of net assessed value.
| Home Value | Estimated Annual Tax | Monthly (Escrow) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $675 | $56/mo |
| $600,000 | $1,620 | $135/mo |
| $808,000 (median) | $2,182 | $182/mo |
Effective rates vary within Hawaii. These figures are median-tax-to-median-value estimates from U.S. Census ACS data (2019–2023 ACS 5-year (SmartAsset)) for some of the most populous counties:
| County | Effective Rate |
|---|---|
| Honolulu County | 0.29% |
| Hawaii County (Big Island) | 0.28% |
| Kauai County | 0.23% |
| Maui County | 0.15% |
Among these counties, effective rates range from about 0.15% in Maui County to 0.29% in Honolulu County. Your actual rate depends on the local mill/millage set by your county, city, and school district.
Each county offers a home exemption on owner-occupied primary residences, applied before rates. Honolulu grants a $120,000 basic exemption ($160,000 for owners 65+); Maui offers a $300,000 owner-occupied exemption; Hawaii County and Kauai give owner-occupants who claim the exemption a lower tax rate. Honolulu's basic residential rate is $3.50 per $1,000 of taxable value.
Age-based relief is built into the exemptions — Honolulu's rises to $160,000 for owners 65+ — and across counties owner-occupant exemptions range from roughly $80,000 to $300,000. Homes of totally disabled service-connected veterans are exempt except the county minimum tax ($300 in Honolulu for 2025–2026), and counties also offer exemptions for qualifying blind, deaf, or totally disabled homeowners.
Property taxes are billed in two semiannual installments. In Honolulu the first installment is due August 20 and the second February 20; the other counties follow similar August/February schedules. Unpaid amounts become delinquent after the due date and accrue penalties and interest.
Appeals are filed with the county Board of Review or Tax Appeal Court. In Honolulu, after the December Notice of Assessment, an owner may appeal the value, classification, or exemption to the Board of Review between December 15 and January 15 (a filing fee applies), and home-exemption claims are due by September 30. Deadlines vary slightly by county.
Hawaii has the lowest effective property tax rate in the United States — about 0.27% of home value statewide. Because it's set at the county level, effective rates range from roughly 0.15% in Maui County to about 0.29% in Honolulu County. The typical homeowner still pays around $2,180 a year because home values are the nation's highest.
Hawaii funds government disproportionately through its general excise and income taxes rather than property tax, and its counties offer generous owner-occupied home exemptions (about $80,000 to $300,000 depending on county and age). These exemptions cut taxable value before rates apply, keeping effective rates far below the national average.
Maui County has the lowest effective property tax rate in Hawaii — about 0.15%, the lowest of any county in the entire United States — helped by a $300,000 owner-occupied home exemption. Kauai is next at about 0.23%, then Hawaii County at 0.28% and Honolulu at 0.29%.
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