Property Tax in Hillsborough County, Florida
The median real estate tax bill in Hillsborough County, Florida is $2,787 per year, and the median home is worth $333,300. 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 Hillsborough County numbers mean
A median is the middle household: half of owner-occupied households in Hillsborough County pay more than $2,787, and half pay less. Your own bill is set by your home's assessed value, the exemptions you qualify for, and the local taxing districts your property sits in — so individual bills vary widely around the median.
Dividing the median tax by the median home value gives a derived effective rate of 0.84% for Hillsborough County. It is an estimate built from two survey medians, not the county's official rate, but it is a fair way to compare the local tax burden with other counties where home values are very different.
The key figures for Hillsborough County
| Measure | Hillsborough County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $2,787 |
| Median home value | $333,300 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.84% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $232 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $836 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $3,344 |
For context, the Florida medians are $2,555 of tax on $325,000 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Hillsborough County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Florida: #13 of 67 counties
- Median home value rank in Florida: #16 of 67
- Population rank in Florida: #4 of 67 (1,489,634 residents)
- Population density rank: #5 of 67 (1,457 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Florida: #13 of 67 (1,022 sq mi, 1.9% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $232; per $1,000 of home value: $0.84
How Hillsborough County compares
Set against its state, Hillsborough County's median bill of $2,787 is about 9% higher than the Florida median ($2,555). Against the country as a whole it is about 6% lower than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #13 of 67 Florida counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Hillsborough County's median home, at $333,300, ranks #16 by value in Florida, while its derived rate of 0.84% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Hillsborough County: the median bill works out to about $232 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $836 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 1,489,634 people — the #4 most populous county in Florida, spread over 1,022 square miles, a density of about 1,457 people per square mile. Its median home value, $333,300, ranks #16 among the state's 67 counties with data.
Nationally, Hillsborough County's median bill of $2,787 ranks #530 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 17% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 6.8% of Florida's population, its median home value is about 3% above the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 8.36% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Hillsborough County to the most expensive county, Monroe County ($3,943), is $1,156 a year.
Counties nearest Hillsborough County in the Florida ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota County, FL | $2,826 | $373,100 | 0.76% |
| Orange County, FL | $2,795 | $358,300 | 0.78% |
| Lee County, FL | $2,699 | $326,300 | 0.83% |
| Flagler County, FL | $2,628 | $333,400 | 0.79% |
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 0.84%, each $100,000 of value corresponds to about $836 of tax a year, and a $400,000 home to roughly $3,344. 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 Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough County, Florida?
The median real estate tax paid in Hillsborough County, Florida is $2,787 per year, on a median home value of $333,300 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Hillsborough County, Florida?
On a derived basis, 0.84%: the county's median tax bill of $2,787 divided by its median home value of $333,300. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Hillsborough County compare with the rest of Florida?
By median taxes paid, Hillsborough County stands at #13 among the 67 Florida counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $2,787 median bill is about 9% higher than the state median ($2,555), and 12 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Hillsborough County, Florida?
Three steps produce the bill: an assessment of market value by the local assessor, a reduction for exemptions you qualify for (a homestead exemption is the common one), and multiplication by the combined rates of the county, municipality, school district and any special districts covering the property. The median result in Hillsborough County is $2,787 of tax on a $333,300 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Hillsborough County, Florida?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Hillsborough County assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.