Property Tax in San Francisco County, California
The median real estate tax bill in San Francisco County, California is $9,412 per year, and the median home is worth $1,380,500. 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 San Francisco County numbers mean
The median is the midpoint of the county's actual bills: half of San Francisco County homeowners pay more than $9,412 a year and half pay less. The exact bill for any one home depends on its assessed value, exemptions, and which school, municipal and special districts cover it.
Set against the median home value of $1,380,500, the median bill works out to a derived effective rate of 0.68%. That rate is an estimate computed from the two medians — no county publishes a rate calculated this way — but it adjusts for home prices, which makes comparisons between counties more meaningful.
The key figures for San Francisco County
| Measure | San Francisco County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $9,412 |
| Median home value | $1,380,500 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.68% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $784 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $682 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $2,728 |
For context, the California medians are $4,926 of tax on $695,400 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
San Francisco County at a glance
- Median tax rank in California: #3 of 58 counties
- Median home value rank in California: #4 of 58
- Population rank in California: #13 of 58 (836,321 residents)
- Population density rank: #1 of 58 (17,914 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in California: #58 of 58 (46 sq mi, 0.0% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $784; per $1,000 of home value: $0.68
How San Francisco County compares
The median tax bill in San Francisco County is about 91% higher than the state median ($4,926 for California) and about 217% higher than the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #3 out of 58 California counties with published Census data — 2 counties in the state have a higher median bill.
Comparisons cut both ways: a county can have a modest rate but high bills because homes are expensive, or a high rate but modest bills because homes are cheaper. San Francisco County's derived rate of 0.68% sits below the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for San Francisco County: the median bill works out to about $784 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $682 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 836,321 people — the #13 most populous county in California, spread over 46 square miles, a density of about 17,914 people per square mile. Its median home value, $1,380,500, ranks #4 among the state's 58 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 19 record a higher median tax bill than San Francisco County — it sits in the top 1% nationally. The county holds roughly 2.1% of California's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $1,380,500 versus $695,400), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.68% adds up to about 6.82% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Modoc County, medians $1,445 — $7,967 less than San Francisco County per year.
Counties nearest San Francisco County in the California ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marin County, CA | $10,001 | $1,390,000 | 0.72% |
| Santa Clara County, CA | $9,766 | $1,382,800 | 0.71% |
| San Mateo County, CA | $9,167 | $1,494,500 | 0.61% |
| Alameda County, CA | $8,061 | $1,057,400 | 0.76% |
How the tax is worked out
The bill is built in stages. First the assessor puts a market value on the property. Exemptions — a homestead exemption above all — then reduce the taxable amount. Finally the combined local rate is applied. To see the scale: at the county's derived rate of 0.68%, each $100,000 of value corresponds to about $682 of tax a year, and a $400,000 home to roughly $2,728. Real bills use the official assessment and district rates, not this derived figure, so treat the example as a sense of scale only.
Checking your assessment in San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco County, California?
The median real estate tax paid in San Francisco County, California is $9,412 per year, on a median home value of $1,380,500 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in San Francisco County, California?
On a derived basis, 0.68%: the county's median tax bill of $9,412 divided by its median home value of $1,380,500. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does San Francisco County compare with the rest of California?
San Francisco County ranks #3 of 58 California counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $9,412 is about 91% higher than the California median of $4,926.
How are property taxes calculated in San Francisco County, California?
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 San Francisco County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $9,412 on a median home value of $1,380,500.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in San Francisco County, California?
Yes. Request your property record card from the San Francisco 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.