Washtenaw County, Michigan property tax
The median homeowner in Washtenaw County, Michigan pays $5,505 a year in property tax on a home worth $353,000, an effective rate of 1.56%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.56%, Washtenaw County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. A high rate applied to a home worth $353,000 is what makes the bill $5,505. Counties in this position usually fund schools locally and have little commercial or industrial base to spread the burden across.
It ranks #5 of 82 Michigan counties by effective rate, against a statewide 1.28%, and #288 nationally. The state runs from 1.86% in Ingham County down to 0.70% in Leelanau County.
The median home costs 4.05 times the median household income of $87,156, 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 368,394 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
| Washtenaw County | Michigan | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.56% | 1.28% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $5,505 | $2,795 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $353,000 | $217,600 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 | $1,084 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $87,156 | $71,149 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 4.05× | 3.06× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 19.28% | 18.28% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 61.63% | 72.92% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 368,394.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genesee County | 1.40% | $2,417 | $172,900 |
| Ottawa County | 1.06% | $3,078 | $291,200 |
| Ingham County | 1.86% | $3,488 | $187,500 |
| Kalamazoo County | 1.48% | $3,378 | $227,500 |
| Livingston County | 0.99% | $3,269 | $331,100 |
Washtenaw County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Washtenaw County, Michigan?
The effective rate is 1.56% of home value, from a median tax bill of $5,505 against a median home value of $353,000. That is 0.58 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Washtenaw County?
Roughly $6,240 a year at the county effective rate of 1.56%.
Is Washtenaw County expensive compared with the rest of Michigan?
It ranks #5 of 82 Michigan counties by effective property tax rate, and #288 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.28 points above the Michigan average of 1.28%.
What does housing cost in Washtenaw County?
The median home is worth $353,000 and median gross rent is $1,400 a month. Median household income is $87,156, which puts the home at 4.05 times annual income and rent at 19.28% of it.