Property Tax in King County, Washington
In King County, Washington, the typical homeowner pays $6,785 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $811,200. 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 King County numbers mean
A median is the middle household: half of owner-occupied households in King County pay more than $6,785, 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 0.84% for King County. 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 King County
| Measure | King County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $6,785 |
| Median home value | $811,200 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.84% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $565 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $836 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $3,344 |
For context, the Washington medians are $4,361 of tax on $519,800 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
King County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Washington: #1 of 39 counties
- Median home value rank in Washington: #1 of 39
- Population rank in Washington: #1 of 39 (2,262,713 residents)
- Population density rank: #1 of 39 (1,069 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Washington: #11 of 39 (2,115 sq mi, 3.2% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $565; per $1,000 of home value: $0.84
How King County compares
Set against its state, King County's median bill of $6,785 is about 56% higher than the Washington median ($4,361). Against the country as a whole it is about 129% higher than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #1 of 39 Washington counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. King County's median home, at $811,200, ranks #1 by value in Washington, while its derived rate of 0.84% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for King County: the median bill works out to about $565 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $836 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 2,262,713 people — the #1 most populous county in Washington, spread over 2,115 square miles, a density of about 1,069 people per square mile. Its median home value, $811,200, ranks #1 among the state's 39 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 53 record a higher median tax bill than King County — it sits in the top 2% nationally. The county holds roughly 29.2% of Washington's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $811,200 versus $519,800), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.84% adds up to about 8.36% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Garfield County, medians $1,306 — $5,479 less than King County per year.
Counties nearest King County in the Washington ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snohomish County, WA | $5,121 | $644,600 | 0.79% |
| Pierce County, WA | $4,555 | $484,400 | 0.94% |
How the tax is worked out
The bill is built in stages. First the assessor puts a market value on the property. Exemptions — a homestead exemption above all — then reduce the taxable amount. Finally the combined local rate is applied. To see the scale: at the county's derived rate of 0.84%, each $100,000 of value corresponds to about $836 of tax a year, and a $400,000 home to roughly $3,344. Real bills use the official assessment and district rates, not this derived figure, so treat the example as a sense of scale only.
Checking your assessment in King 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 King 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 Washington counties
Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in King County, Washington?
The median real estate tax paid in King County, Washington is $6,785 per year, on a median home value of $811,200 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in King County, Washington?
The derived effective rate is 0.84% — the median bill ($6,785) expressed as a share of the median home value ($811,200). No authority sets a rate this way; it exists to make counties with different home prices comparable.
How does King County compare with the rest of Washington?
King County ranks #1 of 39 Washington counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $6,785 is about 56% higher than the Washington median of $4,361.
How are property taxes calculated in King County, Washington?
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 King County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $6,785 on a median home value of $811,200.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in King County, Washington?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the King 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.