Property Tax in Arlington County, Virginia
In Arlington County, Virginia, the typical homeowner pays $7,774 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $864,800. The figures on this page are the Census Bureau's published medians (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023), shown exactly as released.
What the Arlington County numbers mean
The median is the midpoint of the county's actual bills: half of Arlington County homeowners pay more than $7,774 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 $864,800, the median bill works out to a derived effective rate of 0.90%. 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.
Arlington County by the numbers
| Measure | Arlington County | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $7,774 | $2,686 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $864,800 | $360,700 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.90% | 0.74% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $648 | $224 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Arlington County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Virginia: #2 of 133 counties
- Median home value rank in Virginia: #2 of 133
- Population rank in Virginia: #8 of 133 (235,463 residents)
- Population density rank: #2 of 133 (9,057 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Virginia: #106 of 133 (25 sq mi, 0.1% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $648; per $1,000 of home value: $0.90
How Arlington County compares
The median tax bill in Arlington County is about 189% higher than the state median ($2,686 for Virginia) and about 162% higher than the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #2 out of 133 Virginia 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. Arlington County's derived rate of 0.90% sits below the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Arlington County: the median bill works out to about $648 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $899 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 235,463 people — the #8 most populous county in Virginia, spread over 25 square miles, a density of about 9,057 people per square mile. Its median home value, $864,800, ranks #2 among the state's 133 counties with data.
Nationally, Arlington County's median bill of $7,774 ranks #34 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 1% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 2.7% of Virginia's population, its median home value is about 140% above the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 8.99% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Arlington County to the most expensive county, Falls Church city ($10,001), is $2,227 a year.
Counties nearest Arlington County in the Virginia ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falls Church city, VA | $10,001 | $1,005,400 | 0.99% |
| Fairfax County, VA | $7,072 | $699,700 | 1.01% |
| Alexandria city, VA | $6,879 | $696,800 | 0.99% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Arlington County's derived rate of 0.90%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $3,596 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 Arlington 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 Arlington 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 Arlington County, Virginia?
The median real estate tax paid in Arlington County, Virginia is $7,774 per year, on a median home value of $864,800 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Arlington County, Virginia?
On a derived basis, 0.90%: the county's median tax bill of $7,774 divided by its median home value of $864,800. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Arlington County compare with the rest of Virginia?
Arlington County ranks #2 of 133 Virginia counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $7,774 is about 189% higher than the Virginia median of $2,686.
How are property taxes calculated in Arlington County, Virginia?
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 Arlington County is $7,774 of tax on a $864,800 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Arlington County, Virginia?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Arlington 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.