Property Tax in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
Homeowners in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana pay a median of $2,005 a year in real estate taxes, on a median home value of $272,200. Those are the Census Bureau's published medians for the county (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023) — the typical bill and the typical home value for owner-occupied households.
What the St. Tammany Parish numbers mean
A median is the middle household: half of owner-occupied households in St. Tammany Parish pay more than $2,005, 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 0.74% for St. Tammany Parish. 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 St. Tammany Parish
| Measure | St. Tammany Parish |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $2,005 |
| Median home value | $272,200 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.74% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $167 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $737 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $2,948 |
For context, the Louisiana medians are $1,146 of tax on $208,700 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
St. Tammany Parish at a glance
- Median tax rank in Louisiana: #2 of 64 counties
- Median home value rank in Louisiana: #3 of 64
- Population rank in Louisiana: #4 of 64 (269,331 residents)
- Population density rank: #6 of 64 (319 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Louisiana: #16 of 64 (845 sq mi, 2.0% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $167; per $1,000 of home value: $0.74
How St. Tammany Parish compares
The median tax bill in St. Tammany Parish is about 75% higher than the state median ($1,146 for Louisiana) and about 32% lower than the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #2 out of 64 Louisiana counties with published Census data — 1 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. St. Tammany Parish's derived rate of 0.74% sits below the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for St. Tammany Parish: the median bill works out to about $167 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $737 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 269,331 people — the #4 most populous county in Louisiana, spread over 845 square miles, a density of about 319 people per square mile. Its median home value, $272,200, ranks #3 among the state's 64 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 1062 record a higher median tax bill than St. Tammany Parish — it sits in the top 34% nationally. The county holds roughly 5.8% of Louisiana's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $272,200 versus $208,700), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.74% adds up to about 7.37% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, West Carroll Parish, medians $199 — $1,806 less than St. Tammany Parish per year.
Counties nearest St. Tammany Parish in the Louisiana ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orleans Parish, LA | $2,428 | $296,400 | 0.82% |
| East Baton Rouge Parish, LA | $1,547 | $241,800 | 0.64% |
| St. Charles Parish, LA | $1,475 | $256,800 | 0.57% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at St. Tammany Parish's derived rate of 0.74%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $2,948 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 St. Tammany Parish
If your bill looks wrong, work through these steps:
1. Get your property record card from the assessor and check the basics — living area, lot size, bedrooms, condition, and any exemptions you should have.
2. Compare your assessed value with recent sale prices of similar homes in St. Tammany Parish.
3. Talk to the assessor's office informally first; clear errors are often fixed without a hearing.
4. If needed, file a formal appeal with the local review board before the deadline on your assessment notice, with your evidence attached.
5. Keep paying the bill as issued while the appeal runs, unless your notice says otherwise — unpaid taxes accrue penalties regardless of an appeal.
More Louisiana counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
The median real estate tax paid in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana is $2,005 per year, on a median home value of $272,200 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
The derived effective rate is 0.74% — the median bill ($2,005) expressed as a share of the median home value ($272,200). No authority sets a rate this way; it exists to make counties with different home prices comparable.
How does St. Tammany Parish compare with the rest of Louisiana?
St. Tammany Parish ranks #2 of 64 Louisiana counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $2,005 is about 75% higher than the Louisiana median of $1,146.
How are property taxes calculated in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
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 St. Tammany Parish, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $2,005 on a median home value of $272,200.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the St. Tammany Parish 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.