Dane County, Wisconsin property tax
The median homeowner in Dane County, Wisconsin pays $6,276 a year in property tax on a home worth $366,100, an effective rate of 1.71%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.71%, Dane County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Both the rate and the house are above national. That is the expensive combination, and the $6,276 median bill reflects it.
Inside Wisconsin it is one of the most heavily taxed counties there is, ranking #2 of 70, against a statewide 1.51%. At the other end of the same state, Vilas County charges 0.80%. A spread that wide inside one state is normal, because school districts, not states, set most of the levy.
The median home costs 4.16 times the median household income of $88,108, 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 564,777 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
| Dane County | Wisconsin | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.71% | 1.51% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $6,276 | $3,746 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $366,100 | $247,400 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,345 | $1,045 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $88,108 | $75,670 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 4.16× | 3.27× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 18.32% | 16.57% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 57.66% | 67.89% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 564,777.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha County | 1.21% | $4,525 | $373,600 |
| Brown County | 1.46% | $3,593 | $245,900 |
| Milwaukee County | 2.04% | $4,406 | $216,500 |
| Racine County | 1.70% | $4,071 | $239,400 |
| Outagamie County | 1.47% | $3,580 | $244,100 |
Dane County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Dane County, Wisconsin?
The effective rate is 1.71% of home value, from a median tax bill of $6,276 against a median home value of $366,100. That is 0.73 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Dane County?
Roughly $6,840 a year at the county effective rate of 1.71%.
Is Dane County expensive compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
It ranks #2 of 70 Wisconsin counties by effective property tax rate, and #196 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.2 points above the Wisconsin average of 1.51%.
What does housing cost in Dane County?
The median home is worth $366,100 and median gross rent is $1,345 a month. Median household income is $88,108, which puts the home at 4.16 times annual income and rent at 18.32% of it.