Jefferson County, Wisconsin property tax
The median homeowner in Jefferson County, Wisconsin pays $3,988 a year in property tax on a home worth $253,800, an effective rate of 1.57%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.57%, Jefferson County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. The rate is high and the housing is cheap, and those two facts are connected. The bill of $3,988 is what actually leaves a household's account, and it is the number worth comparing between places.
It ranks #13 of 70 Wisconsin counties by effective rate, against a statewide 1.51%, and #283 nationally. The state runs from 2.04% in Milwaukee County down to 0.80% in Vilas County.
The median home costs 3.15 times the median household income of $80,604, close to the national 3.86. The county has 85,867 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
| Jefferson County | Wisconsin | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.57% | 1.51% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $3,988 | $3,746 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $253,800 | $247,400 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,012 | $1,045 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $80,604 | $75,670 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.15× | 3.27× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 15.07% | 16.57% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 72.92% | 67.89% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 85,867.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge County | 1.55% | $3,395 | $218,400 |
| Manitowoc County | 1.54% | $2,660 | $172,900 |
| Ozaukee County | 1.25% | $4,629 | $368,900 |
| St. Croix County | 1.23% | $4,297 | $349,700 |
| Wood County | 1.56% | $2,629 | $168,100 |
Jefferson County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Jefferson County, Wisconsin?
The effective rate is 1.57% of home value, from a median tax bill of $3,988 against a median home value of $253,800. That is 0.59 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Jefferson County?
Roughly $6,280 a year at the county effective rate of 1.57%.
Is Jefferson County expensive compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
It ranks #13 of 70 Wisconsin counties by effective property tax rate, and #283 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.06 points above the Wisconsin average of 1.51%.
What does housing cost in Jefferson County?
The median home is worth $253,800 and median gross rent is $1,012 a month. Median household income is $80,604, which puts the home at 3.15 times annual income and rent at 15.07% of it.