Highlands County, Florida property tax
The median homeowner in Highlands County, Florida pays $1,295 a year in property tax on a home worth $177,900, an effective rate of 0.73%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.73%, Highlands County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. With a median home at $177,900, that produces a bill of $1,295. Somebody still funds the schools, so it is worth knowing what a low-tax county collects instead.
It ranks #37 of 67 Florida counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.79%, and #1,647 nationally. The state runs from 1.05% in Hardee County down to 0.45% in Walton County.
The median home costs 3.2 times the median household income of $55,581, 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 103,808 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
| Highlands County | Florida | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.73% | 0.79% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $1,295 | $2,555 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $177,900 | $325,000 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $980 | $1,564 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $55,581 | $71,711 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.2× | 4.53× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 21.16% | 26.17% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 78.92% | 67.32% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 103,808.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau County | 0.73% | $2,558 | $351,100 |
| Flagler County | 0.79% | $2,628 | $333,400 |
| Monroe County | 0.54% | $3,943 | $723,800 |
| Walton County | 0.45% | $1,709 | $376,400 |
| Putnam County | 0.81% | $1,196 | $147,300 |
Highlands County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Highlands County, Florida?
The effective rate is 0.73% of home value, from a median tax bill of $1,295 against a median home value of $177,900. That is 0.25 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Highlands County?
Roughly $2,920 a year at the county effective rate of 0.73%.
Is Highlands County expensive compared with the rest of Florida?
It ranks #37 of 67 Florida counties by effective property tax rate, and #1647 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.06 points below the Florida average of 0.79%.
What does housing cost in Highlands County?
The median home is worth $177,900 and median gross rent is $980 a month. Median household income is $55,581, which puts the home at 3.2 times annual income and rent at 21.16% of it.