Cowlitz County, Washington property tax
The median homeowner in Cowlitz County, Washington pays $2,988 a year in property tax on a home worth $367,400, an effective rate of 0.81%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.81%, Cowlitz County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. This is the case where the rate misleads. Owners pay $2,988 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 #13 of 36 Washington counties by effective rate, against a statewide 0.84%, and #1,453 nationally. The state runs from 0.94% in Pierce County down to 0.57% in San Juan County.
The median home costs 5.04 times the median household income of $72,932, against 3.86 nationally, so housing absorbs an unusually large share of what people here earn. Renters pay 19.23% of median income in gross rent. The county has 111,539 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
| Cowlitz County | Washington | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.81% | 0.84% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $2,988 | $4,361 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $367,400 | $519,800 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,169 | $1,682 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $72,932 | $94,952 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 5.04× | 5.47× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 19.23% | 21.26% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 66.15% | 63.89% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 111,539.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 0.82% | $2,268 | $275,700 |
| Franklin County | 0.76% | $2,638 | $345,700 |
| Skagit County | 0.82% | $4,008 | $486,200 |
| Island County | 0.70% | $3,765 | $535,300 |
| Lewis County | 0.71% | $2,433 | $341,500 |
Cowlitz County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Cowlitz County, Washington?
The effective rate is 0.81% of home value, from a median tax bill of $2,988 against a median home value of $367,400. That is 0.17 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Cowlitz County?
Roughly $3,240 a year at the county effective rate of 0.81%.
Is Cowlitz County expensive compared with the rest of Washington?
It ranks #13 of 36 Washington counties by effective property tax rate, and #1453 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.03 points below the Washington average of 0.84%.
What does housing cost in Cowlitz County?
The median home is worth $367,400 and median gross rent is $1,169 a month. Median household income is $72,932, which puts the home at 5.04 times annual income and rent at 19.23% of it.