Frequently Asked Questions

Property taxes work differently from income or sales taxes. There is no fixed tax rate. Instead, each taxing jurisdiction decides how much money it needs to raise through property taxes—this amount is called the levy.

Once the levy is set:

1. The levy is divided by the total taxable value within the jurisdiction (the tax base) to determine the tax rate.
2. That tax rate is applied to the value of each parcel to calculate its share of the total property tax.

Because of this process, property taxes can increase even when property values decrease. Several factors influence the tax amount for an individual parcel, including:

• Budget and spending decisions (levy) made by each taxing jurisdiction
• Changes in value (tax base) of a taxing jurisdiction
• Changes in value of your specific parcel
• How your parcel’s value change compares to others—did it increase or decrease more or less than average?
• Changes due to Homestead Classification

School District Taxes

The school tax amount is broken down between Voter approved levies and Other local levies. Contact your school district for specific information for your district.

School District Referenda

The proposed 2026 property tax notice does not reflect any referendum results from the November 4, 2025 election. Two school district referendums will appear on that ballot: ISD 622 and ISD 832.

Homestead property owners in Minnesota may qualify for two state‑administered refund programs:

Regular Refund

Often referred to as the “circuit breaker,” this refund is based on your household income and the amount of property tax you pay.

Special Refund

This refund is not income‑based. To qualify, your net property tax must have increased by at least 12% and $100 from the previous year.

Forms, instructions, and eligibility details are available from the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

You can view countywide information on property tax changes in Washington County, including:

• The number of parcels by tax increase or decrease range
• Maps showing percentage changes in property taxes

Click here to explore this data.

If you want to estimate taxes based on homestead status, an interactive calculator is available. Enter the property value and select the location to see estimated taxes for:

• Homestead
• Non-homestead
• Apartment
• Commercial/industrial properties

Business seeking assistance with property taxes may contact the Washington County Community Development Agency for more information.

• Levies 2022-2026 (PDF)
• How to Calculate Property Taxes
• Tax Rates
• Description of Line Items on your Proposed Property Tax Notice 
• Minnesota Department of Revenue
• Minnesota Department of Revenue Understanding Your Property Taxes
• League of Minnesota Cities