Washington
0.75%
Effective rate · rank #30
- Per $100k
- $750
- $500k annual
- $3,750
- $500k monthly
- $313
Compare different states
2026
2026Washington vs Oregon Property Tax
Washington has the lower effective property tax rate by 0.06%. Compare annual and monthly estimates, ownership ladders, homestead caveats, and buyer checklists.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Lower effective rate
Washington is lower
0.06% lower, an estimated $300 annual difference on a $500,000 home.
Side-by-side property tax scoreboard
Oregon
0.81%
Effective rate · rank #24
- Per $100k
- $810
- $500k annual
- $4,050
- $500k monthly
- $338
Property tax by home value
Statewide effective-rate estimates before local rules and exemptions.
| Home value | Washington | Oregon | Annual difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $1,500 | $1,620 | $120 |
| $300,000 | $2,250 | $2,430 | $180 |
| $500,000 | $3,750 | $4,050 | $300 |
| $750,000 | $5,625 | $6,075 | $450 |
| $1,000,000 | $7,500 | $8,100 | $600 |
$200,000 home
Washington$1,500
Oregon$1,620
Difference: $120/year
$300,000 home
Washington$2,250
Oregon$2,430
Difference: $180/year
$500,000 home
Washington$3,750
Oregon$4,050
Difference: $300/year
$750,000 home
Washington$5,625
Oregon$6,075
Difference: $450/year
Home price matters
At $500,000, the estimated annual gap is $300. A lower-rate state can still have a higher bill if homes cost more.
Local rates vary
County, city, school, and special-district levies can make two addresses in the same state materially different.
Ten-year illustration
Holding value and rates constant, the $500,000-home gap totals about $3,000 over ten years.
Key finding — Washington vs Oregon property tax
Washington (0.75%) vs Oregon (0.81%): Washington is lower by 0.06% — about $300/year on a $500,000 home before local rules.
Key takeaways — Washington vs Oregon
- Washington has the lower effective rate by 0.06% (0.75% vs 0.81%).
- Washington ranks #30 nationally; Oregon ranks #24 (#1 = highest effective rate).
- On a $500,000 home the modeled annual gap is about $300 ($3,000 over ten years if rates and value stay constant).
- Compared with the 0.9% unweighted 50-state average: Washington is below; Oregon is below.
- These are ACS owner-occupied effective rates — not your parcel’s millage. Homestead caps and sale-triggered reassessment can flip the practical winner.
Annual & monthly estimates — Washington vs Oregon
Statewide effective-rate models before exemptions and local assessment rules. Useful for escrow planning, not a substitute for the parcel record.
$300,000 home
Washington$2,250/yr
$188/mo
Oregon$2,430/yr
$203/mo
Gap: $180/year
$500,000 home
Washington$3,750/yr
$313/mo
Oregon$4,050/yr
$338/mo
Gap: $300/year
$750,000 home
Washington$5,625/yr
$469/mo
Oregon$6,075/yr
$506/mo
Gap: $450/year
Ownership cost ladder ($500k home)
Cumulative tax if home value and statewide effective rates stay constant. Real bills drift with levies and reassessment.
| Hold period | Washington | Oregon | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $3,750 | $4,050 | $300 |
| 5-year hold | $18,750 | $20,250 | $1,500 |
| 10-year hold | $37,500 | $40,500 | $3,000 |
| 20-year hold | $75,000 | $81,000 | $6,000 |
How to read this page
Washington vs Oregon property tax in 2026
Homebuyers and relocators comparing Washington and Oregon often start with statewide effective property tax rates — taxes paid as a share of owner-occupied home value. This page uses the Tax Foundation 2026 table built from 2024 American Community Survey data.
Washington wins on the statewide effective rate by 0.06%. At a $500,000 home value that is about $300 less modeled tax per year than Oregon — before exemptions and post-sale reassessment.
Open each state profile for rankings, FAQs, and neighbor states, or use the pair picker to swap destinations.
What these effective rates mean
Statutory millage is not comparable across states when assessment ratios differ. A 20-mill levy on 50% of market value is not the same burden as 20 mills on 100% of market value.
Effective rates solve that by dividing real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied housing value in ACS data. They are the fair cross-state benchmark for relocation screening — not a substitute for the assessor’s parcel record.
Washington benchmarks at 0.75% (rank #30); Oregon at 0.81% (rank #24). Each 1% of effective rate equals about $1,000 per year per $100,000 of home value.
When the Washington advantage can reverse
Sale-triggered reassessment and assessment caps (including California Prop 13–style limits and Florida homestead caps) can make a new owner’s bill look nothing like the prior owner’s.
Investor or second-home classification can lose homestead relief or face higher assessment ratios (South Carolina’s 4% vs 6% owner vs investor split is a sharp example).
Home prices matter as much as rates: a lower-rate state with much higher median prices can still produce a larger dollar bill than a higher-rate, lower-price market.
Budgeting ownership in Washington vs Oregon
On $500,000 of home value, Washington models about $3,750/year ($313/month) vs Oregon at $4,050/year ($338/month).
Mortgage escrow estimates are forecasts: the first full tax year after purchase often differs once the assessor posts the buyer’s taxable value.
Qualifying real estate taxes may be itemized federally as part of SALT, subject to the current annual limit — a deduction reduces taxable income, not the property tax bill itself.
Planning tips for this comparison
Model the buyer’s bill
Copying the seller’s last tax bill understates cost when caps reset at sale.
Separate rate from price
A lower effective rate on a much more expensive home can still cost more dollars.
Stack other taxes
No-income-tax states often lean on property and sales tax — compare total household burden.
Budget levy drift
Local governments reset millage annually; a 2–4% annual increase assumption is a common conservative plan.
Who this Washington vs Oregon comparison helps
Useful if…
- •Buyers choosing between homes in Washington and Oregon.
- •Remote workers and retirees screening relocation destinations by housing tax cost.
- •Anyone comparing annual escrow / ownership carrying costs across state lines.
- •Investors estimating how owner-occupied benchmarks differ from investor classification.
Confirm locally if…
- •You need a binding tax estimate for a specific parcel or closing disclosure.
- •Homestead, senior, veteran, or disability exemptions dominate your bill.
- •You are buying an investment or second home that loses owner-occupant relief.
- •County or school-district outliers are far from the statewide average.
Washington vs Oregon buyer checklist
Before treating the statewide rate gap as a closing-cost forecast.
- 1Confirm Washington 0.75% vs Oregon 0.81% (ranks #30 and #24).
- 2Size the gap at your expected purchase price using the home-value table.
- 3Ask whether sale triggers reassessment or resets an assessment cap.
- 4List county, city, school, and special-district levies on the parcel record.
- 5Verify which homestead or other exemptions you can claim after closing.
- 6Open the Washington and Oregon profiles, then run the property tax calculator for a planning estimate.
Rates shown as 0.75% (WA) vs 0.81% (OR).
Glossary for this comparison
- Effective property tax rate
- Property taxes paid ÷ owner-occupied home value (ACS), expressed as a percent — the cross-state benchmark used on this page.
- Assessed / taxable value
- The value the assessor uses after ratios, classifications, and caps. Often differs from market value.
- Homestead exemption
- Owner-occupant relief that reduces taxable value or tax due. Often unavailable to investors and may reset after a sale.
- Assessment cap
- Rules that limit how fast taxable value can rise for continuing owners. Sales often reset value toward market.
Washington vs Oregon property tax FAQs
Washington has the lower effective rate by 0.06%. The Tax Foundation benchmark is 0.75% in Washington and 0.81% in Oregon.
The estimated annual difference is $300, before local assessment rules and exemptions.
No. Property taxes are local. County, city, school district, assessment class, exemptions, and reassessment timing can materially change a bill.
It compares real estate taxes paid with owner-occupied housing value. It is useful across states because statutory millage and assessment ratios are not directly comparable.
Yes. Homestead, senior, veteran, disability, agricultural, and assessment-cap programs can reduce taxable value or tax due. Eligibility varies by state and locality.
Washington has the lower statewide benchmark, but the actual housing-cost winner depends on home prices and the exact taxing jurisdiction.
About $2,250 in Washington vs $2,430 in Oregon — a $180 annual gap at statewide rates.
On a $500,000 home, roughly $313/month in Washington vs $338/month in Oregon — about $25 per month at statewide rates.
Washington at 0.75% is below the 0.9% unweighted average of the 50 statewide rates; Oregon at 0.81% is below.
Open the Washington profile (/property-tax-by-state/washington) and Oregon profile (/property-tax-by-state/oregon) for rankings, FAQs, and neighbor comparisons, or use the property tax calculator for a custom home value.
SALT itemizing can soften the after-tax cost of property tax for itemizers subject to the federal limit, but it does not change which state has the lower statewide effective rate or lower local levy.
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Compare another pair
Compare any two states
Effective rates, annual estimates, monthly cost, and homeowner caveats.
Effective owner-occupied housing benchmarks only. Verify local assessed value, levies, exemptions, and post-sale reassessment before relying on an estimate.