Orange County Property Tax
Homeowners in Orange County, California pay a median $6,330 in property tax each year, or 0.66% of a median home value of $962,600. That rate is 6% lower than the California median and 30% lower than the national median of 0.94%.
Updated November 2026 · medians from the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey
Look up, pay or appeal your Orange County property tax
This site estimates taxes; your actual bill, payments and appeals are handled by these official county offices.
- Treasurer-Tax Collector — Look up and pay your tax bill: octreasurer.gov
- Assessor — Look up your property's assessed value and exemptions: ocassessor.gov
- Assessment Appeals Board (Clerk of the Board) — File a petition if you disagree with your value: cob.oc.gov/appeal-your-property-value
Orange County property tax calculator
Key property tax dates in Orange County
- January 1Lien date: property is valued as of this date.
- July 2Assessment appeal filing period opens.
- September 15 or November 30Assessment appeal deadline, depending on the county.
- November 1First installment due (delinquent after December 10).
- February 1Second installment due (delinquent after April 10).
Statewide deadlines; if a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday it moves to the next business day. Check the county office for local hearing dates.
Worked example: a median-value home in Orange County
At the county's median effective rate of 0.66%, a home worth $962,600 — the county median — pays about $6,334 a year. The effective rate already reflects typical exemptions and assessment levels.
| Levy | Rate | Taxable value | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median effective rate | 0.66% | $962,600 | $6,334 |
| Total | $6,334 |
That is $528 a month — what a lender would typically collect in escrow with each mortgage payment.
Property tax at different home values in Orange County
| Home value | Estimated annual tax | Monthly (estimated annual tax) |
|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $2,632 | $219 |
| $500,000 | $3,290 | $274 |
| $750,000 | $4,935 | $411 |
| $1,000,000 | $6,580 | $548 |
| $1,500,000 | $9,870 | $823 |
Based on the median effective rate in Orange County (0.66%).
How Orange County compares
| Orange County | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median effective rate | 0.66% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median annual property tax | $6,330 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Median home value | $962,600 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median owner household income | $149,479 | $127,456 | $100,009 |
| Median tax as share of income | 4.2% | 4.0% | 3.1% |
| Median tax, homes with a mortgage | $7,033 | $5,839 | — |
| Median tax, homes without a mortgage | $4,599 | $3,825 | — |
44 counties have a higher median effective rate in California, and 13 a lower one. Medians come from the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey.
How property tax works in California
- Proposition 13:the general tax rate is 1% of assessed value, plus voter-approved bonds and special assessments — so most bills total about 1.1%–1.3%.
- Assessed value:a home is assessed at its purchase price, and that value can rise by no more than 2% a year until it is sold or newly built on. Long-time owners therefore often pay far less than new buyers next door.
- After you buy:the county reassesses the home at the price you paid and sends one or more supplemental tax bills for the rest of the fiscal year.
- Homeowners' exemption:$7,000 off the assessed value of a primary residence (about $70–$80 a year).
- When it's due:in two installments: the first is due November 1 and delinquent after December 10; the second is due February 1 and delinquent after April 10. Each late installment carries a 10% penalty.
How to lower your property tax in Orange County
- Claim the homeowners' exemption with the county assessor if the home is your primary residence.
- Request a decline-in-value (Proposition 8) review if the market value of your home has fallen below its assessed value.
- Appeal to the county assessment appeals board between July 2 and September 15 — or November 30 in counties that don't mail value notices by August 1.
- Use Proposition 19 if you are 55+, severely disabled or a disaster victim: you can carry your assessed value to a replacement home anywhere in California.
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in Orange County?
The median effective property tax rate in Orange County, California is 0.66%: homeowners pay a median $6,330 a year on homes with a median value of $962,600. Your own rate depends on the taxing units at your address and the exemptions you claim.
How does Orange County compare with the rest of California?
Its median effective rate is 6% lower than the California median of 0.70%, ranking 45th highest of 58 counties with data. The median tax bill of $6,330 is 24% higher than the statewide $5,124.
Do homeowners with a mortgage pay more property tax in Orange County?
Owners with a mortgage pay a median $7,033 a year, against $4,599 for owners without one. The difference mostly reflects home values — newer buyers tend to own more expensive, more recently assessed homes — not a different tax rate.
What share of income do Orange County homeowners spend on property tax?
The median homeowner household in Orange County earns $149,479 a year, so the median property tax bill of $6,330 is about 4.2% of income, against 4.0% across California and 3.1% nationally.
How do I estimate my Orange County property tax bill?
Multiply your home's taxable value by the combined rate of every taxing unit that covers your address, after subtracting exemptions. The calculator above does this using the county's median effective rate. For the exact amount, look up your property with the county's appraisal or assessment office.
Looking for a different Orange County?
7 other states have an Orange County. Median property tax in each:
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, Florida | 0.76% | $2,967 | $390,100 |
| Orange County, New York | 2.19% | $8,494 | $387,900 |
| Orange County, North Carolina | 0.91% | $4,162 | $459,500 |
| Orange County, Texas | 1.24% | $2,152 | $173,400 |
| Orange County, Virginia | 0.55% | $1,997 | $364,200 |
| Orange County, Vermont | 1.67% | $4,516 | $271,300 |
| Orange County, Indiana | 0.58% | $917 | $158,700 |
Sources
- Median taxes paid, home values, owner counts and owner household income: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25103, B25077, B25003 and B25119.
- How the figures are calculated: methodology.