Kalamazoo County, Michigan property tax
The median homeowner in Kalamazoo County, Michigan pays $3,378 a year in property tax on a home worth $227,500, an effective rate of 1.48%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.48%, Kalamazoo County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Houses here are worth $227,500, 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.
It ranks #9 of 82 Michigan counties by effective rate, against a statewide 1.28%, and #379 nationally. The state runs from 1.86% in Ingham County down to 0.70% in Leelanau County.
The median home costs 3.23 times the median household income of $70,525, 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 261,437 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
| Kalamazoo County | Michigan | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.48% | 1.28% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $3,378 | $2,795 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $227,500 | $217,600 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,049 | $1,084 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $70,525 | $71,149 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.23× | 3.06× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 17.85% | 18.28% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 63.95% | 72.92% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 261,437.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingham County | 1.86% | $3,488 | $187,500 |
| Ottawa County | 1.06% | $3,078 | $291,200 |
| Livingston County | 0.99% | $3,269 | $331,100 |
| Saginaw County | 1.57% | $2,190 | $139,400 |
| Muskegon County | 1.26% | $2,280 | $180,900 |
Kalamazoo County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Kalamazoo County, Michigan?
The effective rate is 1.48% of home value, from a median tax bill of $3,378 against a median home value of $227,500. That is 0.5 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Kalamazoo County?
Roughly $5,920 a year at the county effective rate of 1.48%.
Is Kalamazoo County expensive compared with the rest of Michigan?
It ranks #9 of 82 Michigan counties by effective property tax rate, and #379 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.2 points above the Michigan average of 1.28%.
What does housing cost in Kalamazoo County?
The median home is worth $227,500 and median gross rent is $1,049 a month. Median household income is $70,525, which puts the home at 3.23 times annual income and rent at 17.85% of it.