Nelson County, Virginia property tax
The median homeowner in Nelson County, Virginia pays $1,517 a year in property tax on a home worth $283,000, an effective rate of 0.54%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.54%, Nelson County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. That puts the median bill at $1,517. Rates this low usually mean the state, rather than the county, carries more of the school funding.
It ranks #99 of 129 Virginia counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.74%, and #2,317 nationally. The state runs from 1.14% in Manassas Park city down to 0.40% in Prince Edward County.
The median home costs 4.13 times the median household income of $68,525, 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. This is a small rural county of 14,777 people. Five-year survey estimates for places this size carry wide margins of error, so treat the figures as approximate.
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
| Nelson County | Virginia | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.54% | 0.74% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $1,517 | $2,686 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $283,000 | $360,700 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $950 | $1,514 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $68,525 | $90,974 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 4.13× | 3.96× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 16.64% | 19.97% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 79.2% | 67.18% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 14,777.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falls Church city | 0.99% | $10,001 | $1,005,400 |
| Alleghany County | 0.83% | $1,011 | $122,300 |
| Clarke County | 0.51% | $2,757 | $538,900 |
| Grayson County | 0.62% | $820 | $132,300 |
| Floyd County | 0.52% | $1,122 | $215,500 |
Nelson County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Nelson County, Virginia?
The effective rate is 0.54% of home value, from a median tax bill of $1,517 against a median home value of $283,000. That is 0.44 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Nelson County?
Roughly $2,160 a year at the county effective rate of 0.54%.
Is Nelson County expensive compared with the rest of Virginia?
It ranks #99 of 129 Virginia counties by effective property tax rate, and #2317 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.2 points below the Virginia average of 0.74%.
What does housing cost in Nelson County?
The median home is worth $283,000 and median gross rent is $950 a month. Median household income is $68,525, which puts the home at 4.13 times annual income and rent at 16.64% of it.