Waukesha County, Wisconsin property tax
The median homeowner in Waukesha County, Wisconsin pays $4,525 a year in property tax on a home worth $373,600, an effective rate of 1.21%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.21%, Waukesha 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 $4,525 median bill reflects it.
It ranks #58 of 70 Wisconsin counties by effective rate, against a statewide 1.51%, and #694 nationally. The state runs from 2.04% in Milwaukee County down to 0.80% in Vilas County.
The median home costs 3.59 times the median household income of $104,100, 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 409,040 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
| Waukesha County | Wisconsin | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.21% | 1.51% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $4,525 | $3,746 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $373,600 | $247,400 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,300 | $1,045 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $104,100 | $75,670 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.59× | 3.27× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 14.99% | 16.57% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 76.43% | 67.89% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 409,040.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | 1.46% | $3,593 | $245,900 |
| Dane County | 1.71% | $6,276 | $366,100 |
| Racine County | 1.70% | $4,071 | $239,400 |
| Outagamie County | 1.47% | $3,580 | $244,100 |
| Winnebago County | 1.71% | $3,573 | $208,600 |
Waukesha County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?
The effective rate is 1.21% of home value, from a median tax bill of $4,525 against a median home value of $373,600. That is 0.23 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Waukesha County?
Roughly $4,840 a year at the county effective rate of 1.21%.
Is Waukesha County expensive compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
It ranks #58 of 70 Wisconsin counties by effective property tax rate, and #694 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.3 points below the Wisconsin average of 1.51%.
What does housing cost in Waukesha County?
The median home is worth $373,600 and median gross rent is $1,300 a month. Median household income is $104,100, which puts the home at 3.59 times annual income and rent at 14.99% of it.