Estimate your Wisconsin property tax based on the state's 1.53% average effective rate. Enter your home value for an instant, free calculation.
Enter any tax exemption amount you qualify for in Wisconsin
Wisconsin sits among the ten or eleven highest states for effective property tax rates. Rather than a fixed homestead exemption, owner-occupants get several statewide credits netted right against the bill.
Local assessors value property annually, and because local values can drift from the market, the state equalizes values across districts and publishes an assessment ratio for each. Rates are stated per $1,000 of assessed value and levied by municipalities, counties, school districts, and technical colleges, with a 2013 levy-limit law restricting increases in total levies.
| Home Value | Estimated Annual Tax | Monthly (Escrow) |
|---|---|---|
| $238,000 (median) | $3,641 | $303/mo |
| $250,000 | $3,825 | $319/mo |
| $600,000 | $9,180 | $765/mo |
Effective rates vary within Wisconsin. 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 |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee County | 1.68% |
| Racine County | 1.47% |
| Winnebago County | 1.46% |
| Dane County | 1.48% |
| Rock County | 1.36% |
| Kenosha County | 1.31% |
| Brown County | 1.20% |
| Waukesha County | 1.01% |
Among these counties, effective rates range from about 1.01% in Waukesha County to 1.68% in Milwaukee County. Your actual rate depends on the local mill/millage set by your county, city, and school district.
Wisconsin uses no fixed-dollar homestead exemption. Owner-occupants instead benefit from statewide credits netted against the bill — the School Levy Tax Credit, the Lottery and Gaming Credit (for a primary residence), and the First Dollar Credit — plus a separate income-based Homestead Credit claimed on the state income tax return.
The income-based Homestead Credit helps low-income owners and renters, including many seniors and disabled residents (household income limit around $24,680). The Wisconsin Veterans and Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit is a refundable income-tax credit equal to the property taxes paid on the principal residence for veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled and eligible surviving spouses, effectively offsetting the whole bill.
Bills are issued in December. Taxes may be paid in full by January 31, or in two equal installments due January 31 and July 31, paid to the local and then county treasurer.
File a written objection with the local Board of Review, which usually meets in spring; objection forms generally must be filed at or before the board's first meeting. Decisions may be appealed to circuit court or, in some cases, through the Department of Revenue.
Wisconsin's average effective property tax rate is about 1.25% of home value, well above the national average and among the ten or eleven highest in the country. The median annual bill is roughly $3,680.
Owner-occupants can receive the School Levy, Lottery and Gaming, and First Dollar credits on their bill, plus the income-based Homestead Credit filed with the state income tax return.
Veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled and eligible surviving spouses can claim a refundable state income-tax credit equal to the property taxes on their primary residence, effectively eliminating the burden.