James City County, Virginia property tax
The median homeowner in James City County, Virginia pays $2,786 a year in property tax on a home worth $419,200, an effective rate of 0.66%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.66%, James City County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. This is the case where the rate misleads. Owners pay $2,786 a year, which is what matters, and the low percentage is a function of what housing is worth rather than of restraint by the county.
It ranks #54 of 129 Virginia counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.74%, and #1,889 nationally. The state runs from 1.14% in Manassas Park city down to 0.40% in Prince Edward County.
The median home costs 3.92 times the median household income of $107,046, close to the national 3.86. Incomes here run above the national median, which is what keeps that ratio ordinary despite the house prices. The county has 80,046 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
| James City County | Virginia | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.66% | 0.74% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $2,786 | $2,686 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $419,200 | $360,700 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,491 | $1,514 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $107,046 | $90,974 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.92× | 3.96× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 16.71% | 19.97% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 78.85% | 67.18% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 80,046.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford County | 0.46% | $1,265 | $276,600 |
| Lynchburg city | 0.84% | $1,778 | $211,800 |
| Augusta County | 0.49% | $1,379 | $281,400 |
| Rockingham County | 0.53% | $1,532 | $287,900 |
| Fauquier County | 0.77% | $4,185 | $543,700 |
James City County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in James City County, Virginia?
The effective rate is 0.66% of home value, from a median tax bill of $2,786 against a median home value of $419,200. That is 0.32 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in James City County?
Roughly $2,640 a year at the county effective rate of 0.66%.
Is James City County expensive compared with the rest of Virginia?
It ranks #54 of 129 Virginia counties by effective property tax rate, and #1889 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.08 points below the Virginia average of 0.74%.
What does housing cost in James City County?
The median home is worth $419,200 and median gross rent is $1,491 a month. Median household income is $107,046, which puts the home at 3.92 times annual income and rent at 16.71% of it.