Chelan County, Washington property tax
The median homeowner in Chelan County, Washington pays $3,235 a year in property tax on a home worth $454,900, an effective rate of 0.71%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.71%, Chelan County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. A low rate on an expensive house is not the bargain it looks like. The median bill is still $3,235, because 0.71% of $454,900 is not a small number.
It ranks #28 of 36 Washington counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.84%, and #1,738 nationally. The state runs from 0.94% in Pierce County down to 0.57% in San Juan County.
The median home costs 5.81 times the median household income of $78,306, against 3.86 nationally, so housing absorbs an unusually large share of what people here earn. Renters pay 18.11% of median income in gross rent. The county has 79,518 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
| Chelan County | Washington | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.71% | 0.84% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $3,235 | $4,361 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $454,900 | $519,800 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,182 | $1,682 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $78,306 | $94,952 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 5.81× | 5.47× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 18.11% | 21.26% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 63.33% | 63.89% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 79,518.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clallam County | 0.74% | $2,860 | $385,600 |
| Grays Harbor County | 0.87% | $2,441 | $279,500 |
| Lewis County | 0.71% | $2,433 | $341,500 |
| Island County | 0.70% | $3,765 | $535,300 |
| Mason County | 0.75% | $2,833 | $377,400 |
Chelan County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Chelan County, Washington?
The effective rate is 0.71% of home value, from a median tax bill of $3,235 against a median home value of $454,900. That is 0.27 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Chelan County?
Roughly $2,840 a year at the county effective rate of 0.71%.
Is Chelan County expensive compared with the rest of Washington?
It ranks #28 of 36 Washington counties by effective property tax rate, and #1738 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.13 points below the Washington average of 0.84%.
What does housing cost in Chelan County?
The median home is worth $454,900 and median gross rent is $1,182 a month. Median household income is $78,306, which puts the home at 5.81 times annual income and rent at 18.11% of it.