Maryland · FIPS 24027 · ACS 2020–2024
Howard County, Maryland property tax rate
Homeowners in Howard County paid a median of $6,987 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $597,900 (2020–2024 survey). Taxes came to 1.11% of home value, 20% above the Maryland rate of 0.92% and 18% above the U.S. rate of 0.94%.
- 1.11%Effective tax rate±0.03% margin · Maryland: 0.92%
- $6,987Median tax per yearMaryland: $4,093 · U.S.: $3,119
- $597,900Median home valueMaryland: $419,900
- 86,533Owner-occupied homes71% of households own
| Measure | Howard County | Maryland | U.S. | Howard County 2019–2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 1.11% | 0.92% | 0.94% | 1.14% | −0.03 pts |
| Median tax, all owners | $6,987 | $4,093 | $3,119 | $6,814 | +$173 (+2.5%) |
| Median tax, with a mortgage | $6,967 | $4,195 | $3,489 | $6,821 | +$146 (+2.1%) |
| Median tax, no mortgage | $7,039 | $3,856 | $2,576 | $6,795 | +$244 (+3.6%) |
| Median home value | $597,900 | $419,900 | $332,700 | $576,700 | +$21,200 (+3.7%) |
| Total taxes paid | $630,582,400 | $7,381,844,600 | $360,573,527,500 | $615,619,200 |
How Howard County compares
- Per $1,000 of home value, owners here paid about $11.09 a year, against $9.24 statewide and $9.40 nationally.
- Rank in Maryland: 22 of 23 counties from lowest to highest effective rate (among those with reliable estimates). Nationally, 76% of 2,682 counties had a lower rate.
- Homes with a mortgage: 1.11% of value; homes without one: 1.11%. Median bills: $6,967 and $7,039.
- Compared with the 2019–2023 survey, the effective rate fell (−0.03 pts) and the median tax changed +$173 (+2.5%). The two 5-year surveys share four years of responses, so year-to-year moves are small and partly noise.
- Margin of error: the effective rate is 1.11% ± 0.03% at 90% confidence, from a sample of the 86,533 owner-occupied homes.
Maryland counties with similar rates
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cecil County | 0.86% | $3,068 | $343,400 |
| Carroll County | 0.87% | $3,934 | $434,000 |
| Kent County | 0.92% | $3,025 | $330,900 |
| Frederick County | 0.94% | $4,584 | $464,600 |
| Allegany County | 0.94% | $1,636 | $154,900 |
| Baltimore County | 0.96% | $3,736 | $349,300 |
| Charles County | 0.97% | $4,339 | $428,500 |
| Prince George's County | 1.06% | $4,771 | $426,000 |
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table-based summary file: B25090 (aggregate real estate taxes), B25082 (aggregate home value), B25103 (median real estate taxes), B25077 (median home value) and B25003 (tenure); files dated January 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, same tables (files dated October 31, 2024), for the comparison column.
- Geography names: Census Bureau Geos20245YR.txt (file dated January 22, 2026).
Effective rate = total real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied homes ÷ their total value, as reported by owners to the Census Bureau. It is not a millage rate. Your bill depends on your assessed value, exemptions (such as homestead) and local levies.