Howard County, Maryland property tax
The median homeowner in Howard County, Maryland pays $6,814 a year in property tax on a home worth $576,700, an effective rate of 1.18%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.18%, Howard County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Unusually, the housing is not cheap either. A rate above the national average on a home worth $576,700 produces a bill of $6,814, and both halves of that are working against the owner.
Inside Maryland it is one of the most heavily taxed counties there is, ranking #2 of 24, against a statewide 1.00%. At the other end of the same state, Talbot County charges 0.66%. A spread that wide inside one state is normal, because school districts, not states, set most of the levy.
The median home costs 3.92 times the median household income of $146,982, close to the national 3.86. Incomes here run above the national median, which is what keeps that ratio ordinary despite the house prices. At 333,916 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
| Howard County | Maryland | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.18% | 1.00% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $6,814 | $3,989 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $576,700 | $397,700 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $2,038 | $1,662 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $146,982 | $101,652 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.92× | 3.91× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 16.64% | 19.62% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 71.71% | 67.48% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 333,916.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick County | 1.02% | $4,463 | $437,700 |
| Harford County | 0.93% | $3,424 | $367,300 |
| Carroll County | 0.94% | $3,837 | $406,400 |
| Charles County | 1.04% | $4,179 | $402,300 |
| Washington County | 0.89% | $2,444 | $275,900 |
Howard County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Howard County, Maryland?
The effective rate is 1.18% of home value, from a median tax bill of $6,814 against a median home value of $576,700. That is 0.2 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Howard County?
Roughly $4,720 a year at the county effective rate of 1.18%.
Is Howard County expensive compared with the rest of Maryland?
It ranks #2 of 24 Maryland counties by effective property tax rate, and #721 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.18 points above the Maryland average of 1.00%.
What does housing cost in Howard County?
The median home is worth $576,700 and median gross rent is $2,038 a month. Median household income is $146,982, which puts the home at 3.92 times annual income and rent at 16.64% of it.