Jefferson County, Alabama property tax
The median homeowner in Jefferson County, Alabama pays $1,340 a year in property tax on a home worth $224,900, an effective rate of 0.60%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.60%, Jefferson County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. That puts the median bill at $1,340. Rates this low usually mean the state, rather than the county, carries more of the school funding.
Inside Alabama it is one of the most heavily taxed counties there is, ranking #1 of 67, against a statewide 0.38%. At the other end of the same state, Choctaw County charges 0.18%. A spread that wide inside one state is normal, because school districts, not states, set most of the levy.
The median home costs 3.48 times the median household income of $64,589, close to the national 3.86. Incomes run below the national median, and house prices run below it too, which is what keeps the ratio ordinary. At 669,744 residents the county is large enough that its median blends several distinct housing markets.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Jefferson County | Alabama | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.60% | 0.38% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $1,340 | $738 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $224,900 | $195,100 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,132 | $963 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $64,589 | $62,027 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.48× | 3.15× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 21.03% | 18.63% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 63.72% | 69.93% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 669,744.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile County | 0.48% | $849 | $176,600 |
| Madison County | 0.40% | $1,081 | $267,800 |
| Baldwin County | 0.31% | $881 | $287,000 |
| Tuscaloosa County | 0.32% | $754 | $233,700 |
| Montgomery County | 0.37% | $598 | $160,100 |
Jefferson County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Jefferson County, Alabama?
The effective rate is 0.60% of home value, from a median tax bill of $1,340 against a median home value of $224,900. That is 0.38 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Jefferson County?
Roughly $2,400 a year at the county effective rate of 0.60%.
Is Jefferson County expensive compared with the rest of Alabama?
It ranks #1 of 67 Alabama counties by effective property tax rate, and #2065 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.22 points above the Alabama average of 0.38%.
What does housing cost in Jefferson County?
The median home is worth $224,900 and median gross rent is $1,132 a month. Median household income is $64,589, which puts the home at 3.48 times annual income and rent at 21.03% of it.