Property Tax in Roanoke city, Virginia
In Roanoke city, Virginia, the typical homeowner pays $1,828 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $180,500. 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 Roanoke city numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $1,828 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Roanoke city, and $180,500 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 Roanoke city is 1.01% (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.
Roanoke city by the numbers
| Measure | Roanoke city | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $1,828 | $2,686 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $180,500 | $360,700 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.01% | 0.74% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $152 | $224 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Roanoke city at a glance
- Median tax rank in Virginia: #52 of 133 counties
- Median home value rank in Virginia: #97 of 133
- Population rank in Virginia: #19 of 133 (98,677 residents)
- Population density rank: #19 of 133 (2,321 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Virginia: #104 of 133 (42 sq mi, 0.1% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $152; per $1,000 of home value: $1.01
How Roanoke city compares
Of the 133 Virginia counties with published data, 51 have a higher median property tax bill than Roanoke city's $1,828, putting the county at #52 in the state. Its bill is about 32% lower than the state median of $2,686 and about 38% lower than the national median of $2,969.
Rates and values pull in opposite directions: an expensive housing market can produce big bills at ordinary rates. Here the derived rate is 1.01%, versus 0.98% derived nationally, and the median home value ranks #97 within Virginia.
Some extra context for Roanoke city: the median bill works out to about $152 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,013 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 98,677 people — the #19 most populous county in Virginia, spread over 42 square miles, a density of about 2,321 people per square mile. Its median home value, $180,500, ranks #97 among the state's 133 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 1240 record a higher median tax bill than Roanoke city — it sits in the top 40% nationally. The county holds roughly 1.1% of Virginia's people. Its homes are worth less than the state norm (median $180,500 versus $360,700), and a decade at the derived rate of 1.01% adds up to about 10.13% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Buchanan County, medians $404 — $1,424 less than Roanoke city per year.
Counties nearest Roanoke city in the Virginia ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren County, VA | $1,850 | $315,800 | 0.59% |
| Fluvanna County, VA | $1,835 | $281,700 | 0.65% |
| Frederick County, VA | $1,807 | $355,000 | 0.51% |
| Louisa County, VA | $1,781 | $275,600 | 0.65% |
Roanoke city and its population peers
Counties of a similar size can tax very differently. The table below shows the counties closest to Roanoke city in population across the United States, with their median bills and home values. Within the group of 9, Roanoke city ($1,828) ranks #6 of 9 by median tax paid.
| County | Population | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County, TN | 98,845 | $1,161 | $189,700 | 0.61% |
| Lenawee County, MI | 98,823 | $2,412 | $181,100 | 1.33% |
| Sevier County, TN | 98,802 | $815 | $259,500 | 0.31% |
| Marshall County, AL | 98,712 | $699 | $183,400 | 0.38% |
| Story County, IA | 98,592 | $3,586 | $243,600 | 1.47% |
| Liberty County, TX | 97,993 | $2,091 | $167,100 | 1.25% |
| Putnam County, NY | 97,988 | $10,001 | $448,000 | 2.23% |
| Franklin County, WA | 97,676 | $2,638 | $345,700 | 0.76% |
The closest population match is Marshall County, Alabama (98,712 residents), where the median real estate tax paid is $699 on a median home value of $183,400 — $1,129 more than Roanoke city pays.
Inside Virginia itself, the counties closest to Roanoke city in population are Hanover County (111,652 residents, median tax $2,506 on a median value of $372,700); Montgomery County (99,159 residents, median tax $2,174 on a median value of $283,600); Portsmouth city (97,299 residents, median tax $2,452 on a median value of $229,400); Roanoke County (96,793 residents, median tax $2,340 on a median value of $267,300). Same state, same broad tax framework — yet the median bills still differ, because assessed values and the mix of county, municipal and school-district rates are set locally.
How the tax is worked out
Think of the final bill as three ingredients: the assessed value of the property, the exemptions subtracted from it, and the combined rate of every district the property sits in. Roanoke city's medians imply a derived rate of 1.01%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $4,052 a year, or around $338 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Illustrative bills in Roanoke city at the derived rate
The derived rate of 1.01% is only an estimate built from medians, but applying it to different home values gives a sense of scale for Roanoke city — and a quick way to compare with the state derived rate of 0.74% and the US figure of 0.98%:
| Home value | Illustrative tax / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $1,519 | $127 |
| $250,000 | $2,532 | $211 |
| $350,000 | $3,545 | $295 |
| $500,000 | $5,065 | $422 |
| $750,000 | $7,597 | $633 |
Illustration only: real bills are computed from the assessed value, exemptions, and the combined rates of the property's actual taxing districts.
Checking your assessment in Roanoke city
Most successful appeals are won on facts, not arguments. Start with the property record card held by the Roanoke city assessor: wrong square footage, an extra room, or a missing homestead exemption are common and fixable. Next, line your assessed value up against recent sales of genuinely similar homes nearby. Many disputes end at an informal conversation with the assessor's office; if yours does not, file the formal appeal with the review board named on your notice before its deadline, evidence attached, and keep paying the bill in the meantime so penalties do not build up.
More Virginia counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Roanoke city, Virginia?
The median real estate tax paid in Roanoke city, Virginia is $1,828 per year, on a median home value of $180,500 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Roanoke city, Virginia?
The derived effective rate is 1.01% — the median bill ($1,828) expressed as a share of the median home value ($180,500). No authority sets a rate this way; it exists to make counties with different home prices comparable.
How does Roanoke city compare with the rest of Virginia?
Roanoke city ranks #52 of 133 Virginia counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $1,828 is about 32% lower than the Virginia median of $2,686.
How are property taxes calculated in Roanoke city, Virginia?
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 Roanoke city, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $1,828 on a median home value of $180,500.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Roanoke city, Virginia?
You can. Pull your property record card from the Roanoke city assessor, verify its details, and compare the assessed value against similar homes that sold recently. If the value still seems too high, submit a formal appeal to the board named on your notice before the stated deadline — usually a 30-to-90-day window.