Property Tax in Washington County, Arkansas
The median real estate tax bill in Washington County, Arkansas is $1,465 per year, and the median home is worth $266,000. Both figures are the US Census Bureau's survey medians for owner-occupied households (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What the Washington County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $1,465 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Washington County, and $266,000 is the middle home value. Neither figure describes a specific property — together they describe the typical homeowner's situation in the county.
The derived effective rate for Washington County is 0.55% (median tax ÷ median value). Treat it as an estimate for comparison only: it comes from survey medians of different households, not from the county's rate schedule.
The key figures for Washington County
| Measure | Washington County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $1,465 |
| Median home value | $266,000 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.55% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $122 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $551 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $2,204 |
For context, the Arkansas medians are $1,003 of tax on $175,300 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Washington County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Arkansas: #3 of 75 counties
- Median home value rank in Arkansas: #2 of 75
- Population rank in Arkansas: #3 of 75 (251,863 residents)
- Population density rank: #3 of 75 (268 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Arkansas: #4 of 75 (941 sq mi, 1.8% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $122; per $1,000 of home value: $0.55
How Washington County compares
Set against its state, Washington County's median bill of $1,465 is about 46% higher than the Arkansas median ($1,003). Against the country as a whole it is about 51% lower than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #3 of 75 Arkansas counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Washington County's median home, at $266,000, ranks #2 by value in Arkansas, while its derived rate of 0.55% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Washington County: the median bill works out to about $122 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $551 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 251,863 people — the #3 most populous county in Arkansas, spread over 941 square miles, a density of about 268 people per square mile. Its median home value, $266,000, ranks #2 among the state's 75 counties with data.
Nationally, Washington County's median bill of $1,465 ranks #1678 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 54% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 8.3% of Arkansas's population, its median home value is about 52% above the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 5.51% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Washington County to the most expensive county, Benton County ($1,731), is $266 a year.
Counties nearest Washington County in the Arkansas ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, AR | $1,731 | $285,100 | 0.61% |
| Pulaski County, AR | $1,562 | $199,600 | 0.78% |
| Saline County, AR | $1,335 | $211,700 | 0.63% |
| Faulkner County, AR | $1,201 | $211,300 | 0.57% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Washington County's derived rate of 0.55%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $2,204 a year. That is only an illustration using the derived rate — a real bill is computed from the property's assessed value, its exemptions, and the combined rates of its specific taxing districts, so it can be higher or lower.
The usual sequence is: the local assessor values the property; exemptions are applied; the taxable value is multiplied by the combined local rates; and the county bills and collects the tax, distributing it to the schools, municipalities and districts that levied it.
Checking your assessment in Washington County
Believe your assessment is too high? The practical order of attack is: obtain your record card and audit it line by line; collect comparable recent sales in Washington County; ask the assessor's office to correct anything plainly wrong; and, if the value still seems off, lodge a formal appeal ahead of the deadline printed on your assessment notice. Windows are short — often 30 to 90 days — and late appeals are usually rejected outright, however strong the case.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Washington County, Arkansas?
The median real estate tax paid in Washington County, Arkansas is $1,465 per year, on a median home value of $266,000 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Washington County, Arkansas?
On a derived basis, 0.55%: the county's median tax bill of $1,465 divided by its median home value of $266,000. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Washington County compare with the rest of Arkansas?
By median taxes paid, Washington County stands at #3 among the 75 Arkansas counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $1,465 median bill is about 46% higher than the state median ($1,003), and 2 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Washington County, Arkansas?
The assessor estimates your property's market value; exemptions (such as a homestead exemption) reduce the taxable amount; and the result is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts — county, municipality, school district and any special districts. In Washington County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $1,465 on a median home value of $266,000.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Washington County, Arkansas?
Yes. Request your property record card from the Washington County assessor's office and check it for errors, then compare your assessed value with recent sales of similar homes. If it still looks too high, file a formal appeal with the local review board named on your assessment notice before the deadline printed on the notice — windows are short, often 30 to 90 days.