Property taxes in in Kentucky are relatively low. The typical homeowner in Kentucky pays just $1,382 annually in property taxes, around half the national median. The state’s average effective property tax rate is 0.80%.
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To calculate the exact amount of property tax you will owe requires your property's assessed value and the property tax rates based on your property's address. Please note that we can only estimate your property tax based on median property taxes in your area. There are typically multiple rates in a given area, because your state, county, local schools and emergency responders each receive funding partly through these taxes. In our calculator, we take your home value and multiply that by your county's effective property tax rate. This is equal to the median property tax paid as a percentage of the median home value in your county.
More from SmartAssetThinking about buying a home in the Bluegrass State? Good news: property taxes in Kentucky are relatively low. In fact, the typical homeowner in Kentucky pays just $1,382 each year in property taxes, which is much less than the $2,795 national median. The state’s average effective property tax rate (annual tax payments as a percentage of home value) is also low at 0.80%.
Of course, where you choose to live in Kentucky has an impact on your taxes. Campbell County has the highest average effective rate in the state at 1.36%, while Carter County has the lowest rate at a mere 0.49%.
Whether you’re looking to purchase a new home or refinance your current one, the process of getting a mortgage can be stressful. Take a look at our guide to mortgages in Kentucky to ease the process and allow you to make a well-informed decision.
A financial advisor can help you understand how homeownership fits into your overall financial goals. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Property taxes in Kentucky follow a one-year cycle, beginning on Jan. 1 of each year. That’s the assessment date for all property in the state, so taxes are based on the value of the property as of Jan. 1.
Real estate in Kentucky is typically assessed through a mass appraisal. This technique uses data on sales in the marketplace, as well as property-specific factors such as home size and date of construction, to calculate a market value for each home. Homeowners who disagree with their assessed value can file an appeal with the county clerk.
Tax rates are calculated during the summer and tax bills are sent out in the fall, typically by either Oct. 1 or Nov. 1. In areas where bills are sent out by Oct. 1, homeowners who pay their bill by Nov. 30 receive a 2% discount on the total amount. Conversely, homeowners who do not pay until January face a 5% penalty. In February and beyond, you'll incur another 5% penalty, with an additional 10% on top of that, for a total fee rate of 20%.
Tax districts in Kentucky include cities, counties, school districts and other special districts. Those districts set rates each year based on the total assessed value in the district and the amount of revenue they need. Thus, rates change annually. Typically, however, these changes are small.
The table below shows the average effective tax rates for every county in Kentucky. Effective tax rates are calculated by taking the median annual property tax payment as a percentage of the median home value. They reflect the amount a typical homeowner can expect to pay each year.
| County | Median Home Value | Median Annual Property Tax Payment | Average Effective Property Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | $105,400 | $777 | 0.74% |
| Allen County | $123,300 | $869 | 0.70% |
| Anderson County | $158,100 | $1,440 | 0.91% |
| Ballard County | $103,800 | $773 | 0.74% |
| Barren County | $127,100 | $967 | 0.76% |
| Bath County | $83,900 | $677 | 0.81% |
| Bell County | $62,800 | $532 | 0.85% |
| Boone County | $194,700 | $2,000 | 1.03% |
| Bourbon County | $155,300 | $1,334 | 0.86% |
| Boyd County | $110,000 | $1,119 | 1.02% |
| Boyle County | $144,000 | $1,363 | 0.95% |
| Bracken County | $102,700 | $863 | 0.84% |
| Breathitt County | $53,000 | $469 | 0.88% |
| Breckinridge County | $104,500 | $768 | 0.73% |
| Bullitt County | $171,300 | $1,715 | 1.00% |
| Butler County | $92,000 | $580 | 0.63% |
| Caldwell County | $89,600 | $572 | 0.64% |
| Calloway County | $141,200 | $1,035 | 0.73% |
| Campbell County | $173,400 | $2,356 | 1.36% |
| Carlisle County | $83,200 | $743 | 0.89% |
| Carroll County | $105,800 | $829 | 0.78% |
| Carter County | $109,500 | $532 | 0.49% |
| Casey County | $97,600 | $596 | 0.61% |
| Christian County | $121,000 | $938 | 0.78% |
| Clark County | $151,300 | $1,348 | 0.89% |
| Clay County | $61,300 | $482 | 0.79% |
| Clinton County | $77,900 | $481 | 0.62% |
| Crittenden County | $97,200 | $590 | 0.61% |
| Cumberland County | $110,000 | $689 | 0.63% |
| Daviess County | $143,500 | $1,415 | 0.99% |
| Edmonson County | $91,900 | $684 | 0.74% |
| Elliott County | $76,600 | $549 | 0.72% |
| Estill County | $78,200 | $652 | 0.83% |
| Fayette County | $200,900 | $2,202 | 1.10% |
| Fleming County | $91,100 | $679 | 0.75% |
| Floyd County | $74,000 | $618 | 0.84% |
| Franklin County | $149,900 | $1,405 | 0.94% |
| Fulton County | $63,800 | $531 | 0.83% |
| Gallatin County | $135,100 | $1,243 | 0.92% |
| Garrard County | $144,900 | $1,157 | 0.80% |
| Grant County | $141,600 | $1,128 | 0.80% |
| Graves County | $109,000 | $723 | 0.66% |
| Grayson County | $118,100 | $707 | 0.60% |
| Green County | $80,600 | $594 | 0.74% |
| Greenup County | $114,900 | $1,111 | 0.97% |
| Hancock County | $113,600 | $772 | 0.68% |
| Hardin County | $157,700 | $1,388 | 0.88% |
| Harlan County | $64,100 | $634 | 0.99% |
| Harrison County | $146,800 | $1,104 | 0.75% |
| Hart County | $93,000 | $749 | 0.81% |
| Henderson County | $133,200 | $1,226 | 0.92% |
| Henry County | $134,100 | $1,309 | 0.98% |
| Hickman County | $85,000 | $816 | 0.96% |
| Hopkins County | $107,100 | $921 | 0.86% |
| Jackson County | $83,100 | $500 | 0.60% |
| Jefferson County | $178,100 | $1,876 | 1.05% |
| Jessamine County | $186,400 | $1,691 | 0.91% |
| Johnson County | $115,800 | $711 | 0.61% |
| Kenton County | $167,100 | $2,169 | 1.30% |
| Knott County | $52,300 | $451 | 0.86% |
| Knox County | $87,000 | $656 | 0.75% |
| Larue County | $125,100 | $862 | 0.69% |
| Laurel County | $116,300 | $725 | 0.62% |
| Lawrence County | $91,800 | $640 | 0.70% |
| Lee County | $65,800 | $593 | 0.90% |
| Leslie County | $69,000 | $479 | 0.69% |
| Letcher County | $54,700 | $489 | 0.89% |
| Lewis County | $68,300 | $567 | 0.83% |
| Lincoln County | $106,100 | $773 | 0.73% |
| Livingston County | $90,600 | $586 | 0.65% |
| Logan County | $108,900 | $747 | 0.69% |
| Lyon County | $149,100 | $908 | 0.61% |
| McCracken County | $145,200 | $1,358 | 0.94% |
| McCreary County | $76,700 | $498 | 0.65% |
| McLean County | $111,800 | $753 | 0.67% |
| Madison County | $161,400 | $1,612 | 1.00% |
| Magoffin County | $71,100 | $502 | 0.71% |
| Marion County | $112,900 | $862 | 0.76% |
| Marshall County | $138,000 | $1,098 | 0.80% |
| Martin County | $78,100 | $549 | 0.70% |
| Mason County | $144,200 | $895 | 0.62% |
| Meade County | $154,200 | $1,235 | 0.80% |
| Menifee County | $83,200 | $448 | 0.54% |
| Mercer County | $148,900 | $1,311 | 0.88% |
| Metcalfe County | $76,900 | $640 | 0.83% |
| Monroe County | $97,000 | $609 | 0.63% |
| Montgomery County | $124,600 | $949 | 0.76% |
| Morgan County | $79,900 | $666 | 0.83% |
| Muhlenberg County | $96,000 | $694 | 0.72% |
| Nelson County | $164,200 | $1,466 | 0.89% |
| Nicholas County | $86,500 | $612 | 0.71% |
| Ohio County | $90,400 | $587 | 0.65% |
| Oldham County | $299,300 | $3,296 | 1.10% |
| Owen County | $116,300 | $962 | 0.83% |
| Owsley County | $67,400 | $561 | 0.83% |
| Pendleton County | $130,100 | $1,270 | 0.98% |
| Perry County | $78,900 | $614 | 0.78% |
| Pike County | $82,700 | $626 | 0.76% |
| Powell County | $105,000 | $666 | 0.63% |
| Pulaski County | $113,900 | $887 | 0.78% |
| Robertson County | $101,900 | $889 | 0.87% |
| Rockcastle County | $88,500 | $563 | 0.64% |
| Rowan County | $126,900 | $837 | 0.66% |
| Russell County | $99,000 | $743 | 0.75% |
| Scott County | $197,900 | $1,442 | 0.73% |
| Shelby County | $202,000 | $1,830 | 0.91% |
| Simpson County | $141,400 | $1,048 | 0.74% |
| Spencer County | $227,000 | $1,756 | 0.77% |
| Taylor County | $122,800 | $962 | 0.78% |
| Todd County | $112,500 | $684 | 0.61% |
| Trigg County | $156,000 | $944 | 0.61% |
| Trimble County | $129,700 | $938 | 0.72% |
| Union County | $90,900 | $767 | 0.84% |
| Warren County | $180,000 | $1,472 | 0.82% |
| Washington County | $123,600 | $945 | 0.76% |
| Wayne County | $90,300 | $611 | 0.68% |
| Webster County | $76,200 | $718 | 0.94% |
| Whitley County | $104,200 | $739 | 0.71% |
| Wolfe County | $66,300 | $426 | 0.64% |
| Woodford County | $212,100 | $1,577 | 0.74% |
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Home to more than 15% of Kentucky's residents, Jefferson County is easily the most populous county in the state. The county also has quite a large median tax payment of $1,876. And at 1.05%, property tax rates in Jefferson County are higher than the state average (0.80%), but are still relatively low compared to the rest of the U.S. (0.99%).
Fayette County’s average effective tax rate is 1.10%, which is fairly high on a national scale. The same goes for the county's median annual tax payment, which is $2,202in comparison to the U.S. median, which is $2,795.
Located in northern Kentucky across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, Kenton County has some of the highest property taxes in the state. The average effective property tax rate in Kenton County is 1.30%, well above the state average of around 0.80%.
The typical homeowner in Boone County pays $2,000 annually in property taxes. That is considerably less than the national median ($2,795), but is much higher than the state median of $1,382. Homeowners who pay their bills by Nov. 1 in Boone County are eligible for a 2% discount on the total amount of the property tax bill.
Warren County has property tax rates far lower than those of the state’s other major counties. The average effective property tax rate in Warren County is just 0.82%, with a median annual tax payment of $1,472.
Like Warren County, property taxes in Hardin County are relatively low. The average effective rate is 0.82%. At that rate, a homeowner whose home has a value equal to the state median of $1580,00 would pay $1,472 annually in property taxes.
Tax rates in Daviess County vary depending on whether or not you live in a city. Actual rates apply to assessed value. Effective rates, which take into account exemptions and the discount for early payment, are lower. The average effective tax rate for the county is 0.99%.
If you're looking for a bargain on property taxes in Kentucky, Campbell County may not be your best bet. That's because no county in the state has a higher average effective property tax rate than Campbell at 1.36%. Even worse, that's 0.37% higher than the national average, which currently sits at 0.99%.
Madison County is located in central Kentucky, southeast of the city of Lexington. Average effective property tax rates in Madison County are lower than those in nearby Fayette County. The average effective rate is 1.00%, meaning a person with an $150,000 home would pay an average of $1,500 in property taxes annually.
Bullitt County sits south of Louisville and contains Fort Knox, a 40,000-acre military base. Property tax rates in Bullitt County rank highly in the state, with an average effective tax rate of 1.00%. For reference, a homeowner with property worth the county's median home value of $171,300 would be on the hook for about $1715 annually in property tax payments.
