Property Tax in Lake County, Florida
The median real estate tax bill in Lake County, Florida is $2,284 per year, and the median home is worth $287,900. 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 Lake County numbers mean
The median is the midpoint of the county's actual bills: half of Lake County homeowners pay more than $2,284 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 $287,900, the median bill works out to a derived effective rate of 0.79%. 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 Lake County
| Measure | Lake County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $2,284 |
| Median home value | $287,900 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.79% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $190 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $793 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $3,172 |
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.
Lake County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Florida: #24 of 67 counties
- Median home value rank in Florida: #26 of 67
- Population rank in Florida: #17 of 67 (398,696 residents)
- Population density rank: #21 of 67 (419 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Florida: #18 of 67 (952 sq mi, 1.8% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $190; per $1,000 of home value: $0.79
How Lake County compares
Set against its state, Lake County's median bill of $2,284 is about 11% lower than the Florida median ($2,555). Against the country as a whole it is about 23% lower than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #24 of 67 Florida counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Lake County's median home, at $287,900, ranks #26 by value in Florida, while its derived rate of 0.79% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Lake County: the median bill works out to about $190 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $793 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 398,696 people — the #17 most populous county in Florida, spread over 952 square miles, a density of about 419 people per square mile. Its median home value, $287,900, ranks #26 among the state's 67 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 843 record a higher median tax bill than Lake County — it sits in the top 27% nationally. The county holds roughly 1.8% of Florida's people. Its homes are worth less than the state norm (median $287,900 versus $325,000), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.79% adds up to about 7.93% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Holmes County, medians $527 — $1,757 less than Lake County per year.
Counties nearest Lake County in the Florida ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leon County, FL | $2,305 | $279,800 | 0.82% |
| Indian River County, FL | $2,288 | $314,700 | 0.73% |
| Volusia County, FL | $2,179 | $278,000 | 0.78% |
| Duval County, FL | $2,142 | $274,900 | 0.78% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Lake County's derived rate of 0.79%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $3,172 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 Lake 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 Lake 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.
More Florida counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Lake County, Florida?
The median real estate tax paid in Lake County, Florida is $2,284 per year, on a median home value of $287,900 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Lake County, Florida?
On a derived basis, 0.79%: the county's median tax bill of $2,284 divided by its median home value of $287,900. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Lake County compare with the rest of Florida?
Lake County ranks #24 of 67 Florida counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $2,284 is about 11% lower than the Florida median of $2,555.
How are property taxes calculated in Lake 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 Lake County is $2,284 of tax on a $287,900 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Lake County, Florida?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Lake 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.