Property Tax in Alabama by County
According to the US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023, the median real estate tax bill in Alabama is $738 a year, on a median home value of $195,100. Figures for every Alabama county with published data — 67 in total — are in the table below. That state median is about 75% lower than the US median of $2,969.
Within Alabama, the highest median tax bill is in Shelby County, AL at $1,343, and the lowest is in Choctaw County, AL at $199. The gap mostly reflects differences in home values and in the local rates set by counties, school districts and municipalities.
How do the counties compare with the nation? 0 of the 67 counties listed here sit above the US median bill of $2,969. Take the county medians themselves and the middle one is $449; the full range runs from $199 (Choctaw County) up to $1,343 (Shelby County).
Two reference points for the state's geography: Jefferson County is Alabama's most populous county with 669,744 residents, while Baldwin County is the largest by land area at 1,590 square miles. Both appear in the table with their own median figures.
Where people live in Alabama: Jefferson County leads with 669,744 residents (median tax $1,340, median home $224,900), followed by Mobile County (413,162; $849 on $176,600) and Madison County (397,135; $1,081 on $267,800).
Alabama counties: median property tax
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County, AL | $1,343 | $298,700 | 0.45% | 226,955 |
| Jefferson County, AL | $1,340 | $224,900 | 0.60% | 669,744 |
| Lee County, AL | $1,183 | $238,700 | 0.50% | 177,663 |
| Madison County, AL | $1,081 | $267,800 | 0.40% | 397,135 |
| Baldwin County, AL | $881 | $287,000 | 0.31% | 239,945 |
| Mobile County, AL | $849 | $176,600 | 0.48% | 413,162 |
| Limestone County, AL | $782 | $255,100 | 0.31% | 107,577 |
| Tuscaloosa County, AL | $754 | $233,700 | 0.32% | 234,036 |
| Marshall County, AL | $699 | $183,400 | 0.38% | 98,712 |
| Lauderdale County, AL | $697 | $185,800 | 0.38% | 95,037 |
| Morgan County, AL | $674 | $193,000 | 0.35% | 123,742 |
| St. Clair County, AL | $666 | $218,500 | 0.30% | 92,903 |
| Cherokee County, AL | $643 | $165,900 | 0.39% | 25,224 |
| Russell County, AL | $631 | $152,300 | 0.41% | 58,858 |
| Coffee County, AL | $615 | $180,300 | 0.34% | 54,231 |
| Calhoun County, AL | $610 | $149,500 | 0.41% | 116,141 |
| Colbert County, AL | $604 | $161,600 | 0.37% | 57,648 |
| Montgomery County, AL | $598 | $160,100 | 0.37% | 227,197 |
| Etowah County, AL | $585 | $160,600 | 0.36% | 103,208 |
| Autauga County, AL | $564 | $197,900 | 0.28% | 59,285 |
| Elmore County, AL | $563 | $213,600 | 0.26% | 88,669 |
| Houston County, AL | $534 | $178,000 | 0.30% | 107,628 |
| Talladega County, AL | $509 | $137,900 | 0.37% | 81,170 |
| Blount County, AL | $508 | $169,700 | 0.30% | 59,292 |
| Henry County, AL | $506 | $147,800 | 0.34% | 17,450 |
| Chambers County, AL | $496 | $129,700 | 0.38% | 34,450 |
| Escambia County, AL | $485 | $122,700 | 0.40% | 36,695 |
| Chilton County, AL | $478 | $142,300 | 0.34% | 45,500 |
| Macon County, AL | $468 | $95,700 | 0.49% | 18,951 |
| Lawrence County, AL | $459 | $150,700 | 0.30% | 33,182 |
| DeKalb County, AL | $458 | $135,500 | 0.34% | 71,946 |
| Cullman County, AL | $457 | $180,500 | 0.25% | 89,463 |
| Tallapoosa County, AL | $450 | $144,800 | 0.31% | 41,070 |
| Jackson County, AL | $449 | $145,800 | 0.31% | 52,839 |
| Franklin County, AL | $432 | $128,000 | 0.34% | 31,978 |
| Dale County, AL | $426 | $129,100 | 0.33% | 49,516 |
| Greene County, AL | $422 | $86,400 | 0.49% | 7,589 |
| Cleburne County, AL | $417 | $144,200 | 0.29% | 15,254 |
| Barbour County, AL | $415 | $109,900 | 0.38% | 24,757 |
| Dallas County, AL | $413 | $97,400 | 0.42% | 37,536 |
| Randolph County, AL | $412 | $184,000 | 0.22% | 22,310 |
| Hale County, AL | $406 | $126,300 | 0.32% | 14,749 |
| Pike County, AL | $403 | $149,000 | 0.27% | 32,953 |
| Marengo County, AL | $397 | $103,400 | 0.38% | 19,027 |
| Clarke County, AL | $388 | $126,400 | 0.31% | 22,802 |
| Geneva County, AL | $382 | $120,200 | 0.32% | 26,726 |
| Winston County, AL | $363 | $110,500 | 0.33% | 23,637 |
| Monroe County, AL | $362 | $114,900 | 0.32% | 19,580 |
| Covington County, AL | $358 | $142,500 | 0.25% | 37,647 |
| Walker County, AL | $357 | $131,100 | 0.27% | 64,886 |
| Washington County, AL | $357 | $152,800 | 0.23% | 15,270 |
| Pickens County, AL | $356 | $123,300 | 0.29% | 18,843 |
| Crenshaw County, AL | $347 | $108,400 | 0.32% | 13,144 |
| Fayette County, AL | $347 | $121,200 | 0.29% | 16,173 |
| Butler County, AL | $342 | $99,700 | 0.34% | 18,807 |
| Lowndes County, AL | $329 | $80,600 | 0.41% | 10,008 |
| Conecuh County, AL | $328 | $101,300 | 0.32% | 11,411 |
| Clay County, AL | $326 | $144,700 | 0.23% | 14,188 |
| Perry County, AL | $325 | $87,700 | 0.37% | 8,231 |
| Bullock County, AL | $309 | $79,400 | 0.39% | 10,157 |
| Wilcox County, AL | $309 | $84,200 | 0.37% | 10,347 |
| Marion County, AL | $308 | $104,300 | 0.29% | 29,190 |
| Coosa County, AL | $303 | $111,800 | 0.27% | 10,323 |
| Sumter County, AL | $297 | $84,100 | 0.35% | 12,020 |
| Bibb County, AL | $271 | $132,600 | 0.20% | 22,152 |
| Lamar County, AL | $245 | $112,700 | 0.22% | 13,809 |
| Choctaw County, AL | $199 | $111,800 | 0.18% | 12,525 |
*Derived rate = median taxes paid ÷ median home value — an estimate from two survey medians, not an official rate. Counties in bold detail pages are linked; all figures: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023.
How assessment and appeals work in Alabama
Nobody in Alabama pays a single statewide property tax. Instead, each property is assessed where it sits — usually by a county assessor — and taxed by the stack of local districts that cover it: the county, often a town or city, a school district, and sometimes fire, water or other special districts. Exemptions, above all a homestead exemption where offered, come off the assessed value before those rates are applied.
Disagree with the value on your assessment notice? The appeal route runs through the local office named on that notice. Ask for your property record card first and audit it for errors in area, rooms or condition; then support your case with recent comparable sales or a professional appraisal. Deadlines are printed on the notice and are strict, commonly only a month or two after assessments are mailed.
Keep in mind that the state-level medians shown here blend very different local markets inside Alabama. They are a benchmark for comparison, never a prediction of an individual bill — for that, only your own assessment, exemptions and district rates count.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Alabama?
The median real estate tax paid in Alabama is $738 per year, on a median home value of $195,100 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
Which Alabama county has the highest property taxes?
Among counties with published Census data, Shelby County has the highest median real estate taxes paid at $1,343 per year.
Which Alabama county has the lowest property taxes?
Among counties with published Census data, Choctaw County has the lowest median real estate taxes paid at $199 per year.
How do I appeal a property tax assessment in Alabama?
Assessments in Alabama are handled locally, usually by the county assessor or an equivalent local office. If you believe your assessed value is too high, request your property record card, check it for errors, and file an appeal with the local board named on your assessment notice before the deadline printed on that notice — appeal windows are short, often 30 to 90 days.