Bay County, Florida property tax
The median homeowner in Bay County, Florida pays $1,653 a year in property tax on a home worth $276,900, an effective rate of 0.60%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.60%, Bay County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. That puts the median bill at $1,653. Rates this low usually mean the state, rather than the county, carries more of the school funding.
It ranks #56 of 67 Florida counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.79%, and #2,071 nationally. The state runs from 1.05% in Hardee County down to 0.45% in Walton County.
The median home costs 3.95 times the median household income of $70,188, 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. The county has 181,368 residents, which is small enough that the medians describe a reasonably coherent market.
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
| Bay County | Florida | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.60% | 0.79% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $1,653 | $2,555 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $276,900 | $325,000 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,424 | $1,564 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $70,188 | $71,711 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.95× | 4.53× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 24.35% | 26.17% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 68.28% | 67.32% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 181,368.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa County | 0.60% | $1,809 | $302,100 |
| Charlotte County | 0.89% | $2,581 | $291,000 |
| Indian River County | 0.73% | $2,288 | $314,700 |
| Hernando County | 0.72% | $1,732 | $240,700 |
| Martin County | 0.81% | $3,120 | $386,500 |
Bay County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Bay County, Florida?
The effective rate is 0.60% of home value, from a median tax bill of $1,653 against a median home value of $276,900. That is 0.38 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Bay County?
Roughly $2,400 a year at the county effective rate of 0.60%.
Is Bay County expensive compared with the rest of Florida?
It ranks #56 of 67 Florida counties by effective property tax rate, and #2071 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.19 points below the Florida average of 0.79%.
What does housing cost in Bay County?
The median home is worth $276,900 and median gross rent is $1,424 a month. Median household income is $70,188, which puts the home at 3.95 times annual income and rent at 24.35% of it.