Property Tax in Snohomish County, Washington
The median real estate tax bill in Snohomish County, Washington is $5,121 per year, and the median home is worth $644,600. 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 Snohomish County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $5,121 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Snohomish County, and $644,600 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 Snohomish County is 0.79% (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.
Snohomish County by the numbers
| Measure | Snohomish County | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $5,121 | $4,361 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $644,600 | $519,800 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 0.79% | 0.84% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $427 | $363 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Snohomish County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Washington: #2 of 39 counties
- Median home value rank in Washington: #3 of 39
- Population rank in Washington: #3 of 39 (834,648 residents)
- Population density rank: #7 of 39 (400 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Washington: #13 of 39 (2,086 sq mi, 3.1% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $427; per $1,000 of home value: $0.79
How Snohomish County compares
Set against its state, Snohomish County's median bill of $5,121 is about 17% higher than the Washington median ($4,361). Against the country as a whole it is about 72% higher than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #2 of 39 Washington counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Snohomish County's median home, at $644,600, ranks #3 by value in Washington, while its derived rate of 0.79% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Snohomish County: the median bill works out to about $427 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $794 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 834,648 people — the #3 most populous county in Washington, spread over 2,086 square miles, a density of about 400 people per square mile. Its median home value, $644,600, ranks #3 among the state's 39 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 119 record a higher median tax bill than Snohomish County — it sits in the top 4% nationally. The county holds roughly 10.8% of Washington's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $644,600 versus $519,800), and a decade at the derived rate of 0.79% adds up to about 7.94% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Garfield County, medians $1,306 — $3,815 less than Snohomish County per year.
Counties nearest Snohomish County in the Washington ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| King County, WA | $6,785 | $811,200 | 0.84% |
| Pierce County, WA | $4,555 | $484,400 | 0.94% |
| San Juan County, WA | $4,131 | $726,500 | 0.57% |
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 0.79%, each $100,000 of value corresponds to about $794 of tax a year, and a $400,000 home to roughly $3,176. 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 Snohomish County
Most successful appeals are won on facts, not arguments. Start with the property record card held by the Snohomish County 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Snohomish County, Washington?
The median real estate tax paid in Snohomish County, Washington is $5,121 per year, on a median home value of $644,600 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Snohomish County, Washington?
On a derived basis, 0.79%: the county's median tax bill of $5,121 divided by its median home value of $644,600. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Snohomish County compare with the rest of Washington?
By median taxes paid, Snohomish County stands at #2 among the 39 Washington counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $5,121 median bill is about 17% higher than the state median ($4,361), and 1 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Snohomish 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 Snohomish County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $5,121 on a median home value of $644,600.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Snohomish County, Washington?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Snohomish 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.