Ingham County, Michigan property tax
The median homeowner in Ingham County, Michigan pays $3,488 a year in property tax on a home worth $187,500, an effective rate of 1.86%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.86%, Ingham County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Houses here are worth $187,500, below the national $303,400. Part of any high rate is arithmetic rather than policy: a smaller tax base has to be taxed harder to raise the same money.
Inside Michigan it is one of the most heavily taxed counties there is, ranking #1 of 82, against a statewide 1.28%. At the other end of the same state, Leelanau County charges 0.70%. A spread that wide inside one state is normal, because school districts, not states, set most of the levy.
The median home costs 2.91 times the median household income of $64,354, against 3.86 nationally, which is a comfortable ratio by American standards. 59.55% of occupied homes are owned rather than rented, and cheap housing relative to income is usually why. At 282,015 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
| Ingham County | Michigan | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.86% | 1.28% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $3,488 | $2,795 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $187,500 | $217,600 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,058 | $1,084 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $64,354 | $71,149 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 2.91× | 3.06× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 19.73% | 18.28% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 59.55% | 72.92% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 282,015.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa County | 1.06% | $3,078 | $291,200 |
| Kalamazoo County | 1.48% | $3,378 | $227,500 |
| Washtenaw County | 1.56% | $5,505 | $353,000 |
| Livingston County | 0.99% | $3,269 | $331,100 |
| Saginaw County | 1.57% | $2,190 | $139,400 |
Ingham County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Ingham County, Michigan?
The effective rate is 1.86% of home value, from a median tax bill of $3,488 against a median home value of $187,500. That is 0.88 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Ingham County?
Roughly $7,440 a year at the county effective rate of 1.86%.
Is Ingham County expensive compared with the rest of Michigan?
It ranks #1 of 82 Michigan counties by effective property tax rate, and #131 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.58 points above the Michigan average of 1.28%.
What does housing cost in Ingham County?
The median home is worth $187,500 and median gross rent is $1,058 a month. Median household income is $64,354, which puts the home at 2.91 times annual income and rent at 19.73% of it.