Waukesha County, WI property taxes
In Waukesha County, Wisconsin, the median owner-occupied home pays $4,554 ± $38 a year in real-estate taxes (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates). Against a median home value of $398,200, that is an effective property-tax rate of 1.144% — a ratio of two independently-estimated medians, not a statutory (millage) rate. Waukesha County ranks #825 of 3,135 U.S. counties and #59 in Wisconsin by effective rate (1 = highest). That is about 4.3% of the county's median household income. Enter any home value in the estimator to see the median-based annual tax; it is an estimate, not a bill, and cannot account for exemptions, special districts, or assessment caps.
- Effective property-tax rate
- 1.144%
- Median taxes — all owner-occupied
- $4,554 ± $38
- With a mortgage
- $4,595 ± $51
- Without a mortgage
- $4,481 ± $63
- Median home value
- $398,200
- Median household income
- $106,076
- Taxes as share of income
- 4.3%
Median real-estate taxes ÷ median home value — a ratio of two independently-estimated medians, not a statutory (millage) rate. Your own bill depends on your assessed value, local levies, and exemptions.
- National rank #825 of 3,135 (1 = highest)
- Wisconsin rank #59 (1 = highest)
Estimate the property tax on a Waukesha County home
| Home value | Estimated annual tax |
|---|---|
| $150,000 | $1,716 |
| $250,000 | $2,860 |
| $350,000 | $4,004 |
| $500,000 | $5,720 |
| $750,000 | $8,580 |
| $1,000,000 | $11,440 |
Every figure here is a median-based estimate from U.S. Census survey data — not a quote, an assessment, or a tax bill. It cannot know your property's assessed value, exemptions (homestead, senior, veteran), assessment ratios, special districts, or homestead caps, so your actual bill can differ substantially. Verify anything that matters with your local assessor.
Nearby counties
The six nearest county-equivalents to Waukesha County by centroid distance (great-circle), for comparison — labelled nearby, not bordering, because distance is what we compute. Cross-state neighbours are included and marked. Counties we publish in depth are linked.
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee County, WI | 1.926% | $4,444 | 38 km |
| Jefferson County, WI | 1.461% | $4,005 | 38 km |
| Washington County, WI | 1.103% | $3,802 | 42 km |
| Walworth County, WI | 1.333% | $4,036 | 44 km |
| Racine County, WI | 1.630% | $4,099 | 51 km |
| Dodge County, WI | 1.476% | $3,422 | 56 km |
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-year estimates — tables B25103 (real-estate taxes), B25077 (home value), B19013 (household income) — and the 2024 Census county gazetteer. Public domain (Title 17 U.S.C. §105).
Five-year trend
| Measure | 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real-estate taxes | $4,148 ± $29 | $4,554 ± $38 | +9.8% |
| Median home value | $282,300 ± $1,706 | $398,200 ± $3,967 | +41.1% |
| Effective tax rate | 1.469% | 1.144% | −0.326 pp |
Median real-estate taxes rose 9.8% over five years ($4,148 → $4,554) — a statistically significant increase at 90% confidence. The effective tax rate fell 0.326 percentage points (1.469% → 1.144%), a change that is itself statistically significant at 90% confidence.
Comparing the non-overlapping Census periods 2015-2019 and 2020-2024 — consecutive 5-year estimates share survey sample and are never compared here.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the property tax rate in Waukesha County, WI?
- The effective property-tax rate in Waukesha County, Wisconsin is 1.144% — the median real-estate taxes paid ($4,554 ± $38) divided by the median home value ($398,200) from the U.S. Census Bureau's ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. This is a ratio of two independently-estimated medians, not a statutory (millage) rate; your own bill depends on your assessed value, local levies, and any exemptions.
- How much are property taxes in Waukesha County?
- The median owner-occupied household in Waukesha County, Wisconsin pays $4,554 ± $38 per year. Homes with a mortgage pay a median of $4,595 ± $51, and homes without a mortgage $4,481 ± $63 — the difference largely reflects owner age and home value, not a different tax rate.
- How does Waukesha County compare to other counties?
- By effective tax rate, Waukesha County ranks #825 of the 3,135 U.S. counties with complete data (1 = highest) and #59 within Wisconsin. For context, the national median effective rate is about 0.94% and Wisconsin's statewide figure is on the state page.
- What would property tax be on a $400,000 home in Waukesha County?
- At Waukesha County's effective rate of 1.144%, a $400,000 home would owe roughly $4,576 a year. This is a median-based estimate for comparison, not a quote or an assessment — it cannot know your exemptions, assessment ratio, or special districts.
- Are property taxes high relative to income in Waukesha County?
- Median real-estate taxes in Waukesha County, Wisconsin are about 4.3% of the county's median household income ($106,076). This income share is a rough affordability gauge; it does not account for exemptions that lower taxes for seniors, veterans, or owner-occupants.
- Have property taxes gone up in Waukesha County?
- Median real-estate taxes rose 9.8% over five years ($4,148 → $4,554) — a statistically significant increase at 90% confidence. The effective tax rate fell 0.326 percentage points (1.469% → 1.144%), a change that is itself statistically significant at 90% confidence. This compares the non-overlapping Census periods 2015-2019 and 2020-2024; overlapping 5-year estimates share survey sample and are never compared.
How these figures are computed
All figures are U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-year estimates: median real-estate taxes paid (table B25103), median owner-occupied home value (B25077), and median household income (B19013). The effective tax rate is median taxes ÷ median home value — a ratio of two independently-estimated medians, not a statutory (millage) rate. Margins of error are the Census 90%-confidence figures. Nearby counties are the six nearest by 2024-gazetteer centroid. Full detail and sources are on the methodology page.
For statewide context, Wisconsin's median effective rate is 1.423% (national rank #9 of 51). See all Wisconsin counties.