Property Tax in Kitsap County, Washington
The median real estate tax bill in Kitsap County, Washington is $4,030 per year, and the median home is worth $505,700. 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 Kitsap County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $4,030 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Kitsap County, and $505,700 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 Kitsap County is 0.80% (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.
Kitsap County by the numbers
| Measure | Kitsap County | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $4,030 | $4,361 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $505,700 | $519,800 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.80% | 0.84% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $336 | $363 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Kitsap County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Washington: #7 of 39 counties
- Median home value rank in Washington: #6 of 39
- Population rank in Washington: #7 of 39 (276,581 residents)
- Population density rank: #3 of 39 (700 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Washington: #36 of 39 (395 sq mi, 0.6% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $336; per $1,000 of home value: $0.80
How Kitsap County compares
The median tax bill in Kitsap County is about 8% lower than the state median ($4,361 for Washington) and about 36% higher than the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #7 out of 39 Washington counties with published Census data — 6 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. Kitsap County's derived rate of 0.80% sits below the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Kitsap County: the median bill works out to about $336 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $797 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 276,581 people — the #7 most populous county in Washington, spread over 395 square miles, a density of about 700 people per square mile. Its median home value, $505,700, ranks #6 among the state's 39 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 223 record a higher median tax bill than Kitsap County — it sits in the top 7% nationally. The county holds roughly 3.6% of Washington's people. Its homes are worth less than the state norm (median $505,700 versus $519,800), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.80% adds up to about 7.97% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Garfield County, medians $1,306 — $2,724 less than Kitsap County per year.
Counties nearest Kitsap County in the Washington ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County, WA | $4,080 | $487,900 | 0.84% |
| Thurston County, WA | $4,043 | $451,500 | 0.90% |
| Skagit County, WA | $4,008 | $486,200 | 0.82% |
| Whatcom County, WA | $3,819 | $536,100 | 0.71% |
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. Kitsap County's medians imply a derived rate of 0.80%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $3,188 a year, or around $266 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Checking your assessment in Kitsap 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 Kitsap 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 Kitsap County, Washington?
The median real estate tax paid in Kitsap County, Washington is $4,030 per year, on a median home value of $505,700 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Kitsap County, Washington?
On a derived basis, 0.80%: the county's median tax bill of $4,030 divided by its median home value of $505,700. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Kitsap County compare with the rest of Washington?
Kitsap County ranks #7 of 39 Washington counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $4,030 is about 8% lower than the Washington median of $4,361.
How are property taxes calculated in Kitsap County, Washington?
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 Kitsap County is $4,030 of tax on a $505,700 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Kitsap County, Washington?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Kitsap 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.