Property Tax in Palm Beach County, Florida
The median real estate tax bill in Palm Beach County, Florida is $3,600 per year, and the median home is worth $407,300. 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 Palm Beach County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $3,600 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Palm Beach County, and $407,300 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 Palm Beach County is 0.88% (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.
Palm Beach County by the numbers
| Measure | Palm Beach County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $3,600 | $2,555 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $407,300 | $325,000 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.88% | 0.79% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $300 | $213 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Palm Beach County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Florida: #3 of 67 counties
- Median home value rank in Florida: #5 of 67
- Population rank in Florida: #3 of 67 (1,507,453 residents)
- Population density rank: #11 of 67 (767 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Florida: #2 of 67 (1,964 sq mi, 3.7% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $300; per $1,000 of home value: $0.88
How Palm Beach County compares
The median tax bill in Palm Beach County is about 41% higher than the state median ($2,555 for Florida) and about 21% higher than the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #3 out of 67 Florida 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. Palm Beach County's derived rate of 0.88% sits below the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Palm Beach County: the median bill works out to about $300 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $884 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 1,507,453 people — the #3 most populous county in Florida, spread over 1,964 square miles, a density of about 767 people per square mile. Its median home value, $407,300, ranks #5 among the state's 67 counties with data.
Nationally, Palm Beach County's median bill of $3,600 ranks #289 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 9% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 6.9% of Florida's population, its median home value is about 25% above the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 8.84% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Palm Beach County to the most expensive county, Monroe County ($3,943), is $343 a year.
Counties nearest Palm Beach County in the Florida ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, FL | $3,943 | $723,800 | 0.55% |
| Broward County, FL | $3,610 | $380,400 | 0.95% |
| St. Johns County, FL | $3,547 | $457,600 | 0.78% |
| Miami-Dade County, FL | $3,516 | $425,400 | 0.83% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Palm Beach County's derived rate of 0.88%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $3,536 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 Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach County, Florida?
The median real estate tax paid in Palm Beach County, Florida is $3,600 per year, on a median home value of $407,300 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Palm Beach County, Florida?
On a derived basis, 0.88%: the county's median tax bill of $3,600 divided by its median home value of $407,300. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Palm Beach County compare with the rest of Florida?
By median taxes paid, Palm Beach County stands at #3 among the 67 Florida counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $3,600 median bill is about 41% higher than the state median ($2,555), and 2 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Palm Beach County, Florida?
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 Palm Beach County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $3,600 on a median home value of $407,300.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Palm Beach County, Florida?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Palm Beach 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.