The average Maine property tax rate is about 0.98% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $3,036 a year on the typical Maine home. That makes Maine property tax a middle-of-the-pack burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Maine property tax rate, what the typical bill looks like, how your bill is figured, where the money goes, and — most useful of all — how to check
whether you are overpaying and how to pay less.
Maine Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 0.98% |
| Median annual bill | $3,036 |
| Median home value | $296,600 |
| Rank among states | #19 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $1,235 below the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Varies by municipality — Maine has no single statewide reassessment cycle. Each town or city revalues periodically to keep assessed values close to market value, and the state monitors this each year through its own valuation and sales-ratio studies. How often your specific town revalues can differ, so check with your municipal assessor. |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Maine Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 0.98% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $3,036 |
| Median home value | $296,600 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #19 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Maine Guide:
What Is the Maine Property Tax Rate?
The Maine property tax rate is not one flat number — it is the combined result of your county, city, township, and school-district rates, applied to your home’s assessed value. Across Maine, homeowners pay about 0.98% of their home’s value on average, or around $3,036 a year on a typical $296,600 home. That puts Maine in the middle nationally — ranked #19 of 50 states from highest to lowest. Two
homes worth the same amount can still owe very different bills depending on the town and school district, so treat the statewide figure as a starting point, not your exact bill.
If your bill went up, start by reading the assessed value on your notice and asking your municipal assessor how it was determined — assessors generally will walk you through it. Next, check whether you’re claiming every exemption you may qualify for, such as the homestead, veteran, or senior relief, since many homeowners miss ones they’re entitled to. If the assessed value still looks higher than what your home would
sell for, you may have grounds to ask the assessor to review it or to file an appeal — check your notice for how and by when.
Think your Maine bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Maine Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Maine property tax starts with an assessed value set by Local municipal assessors — each city or town has an assessor (or an elected/appointed board of assessors, and some towns share a regional assessing office). Maine assesses at the municipal level, not the county level; the state agency that oversees the system is Maine Revenue Services, Property Tax Division.. Maine assessors value property at its “just value,” which Maine
courts treat as market value — what your property would sell for.
A town may then apply a locally certified ratio to that market value, so the assessed value on your notice can differ from full market value; check the assessed value printed on your assessment or tax notice rather than assuming it equals what you’d sell for. That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Maine, property is generally reassessed Varies by
municipality — Maine has no single statewide reassessment cycle.
Each town or city revalues periodically to keep assessed values close to market value, and the state monitors this each year through its own valuation and sales-ratio studies. How often your specific town revalues can differ, so check with your municipal assessor.. The single most important number to check is your assessed value: if it is higher than what your home would sell for, your bill is too high —
and that is exactly what an appeal fixes.
The actual rates in Maine are set by Municipalities (cities and towns) set the actual rate — the “mill rate” — based on their local budgets. That budget covers municipal services, the local share of schools, and the town’s share of county costs, so the rate is decided locally, not by the state.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill on an identical house.
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Where Your Maine Property Tax Money Goes
Maine property taxes are primarily local. They mostly fund public schools, municipal services such as roads, police, and fire, and the town’s share of county government. For most Maine homeowners, the school-district share is the biggest single piece of the bill, which is why property taxes tend to be highest where schools rely most on local funding.
One Maine note: Maine property tax is administered almost entirely at the municipal level, and the certified-ratio system (a local ratio applied to market value) is a distinctive feature — so two towns can treat “assessed value” a little differently. Maine also offers a statewide Property Tax Fairness Credit through the income tax and has adjusted its senior-relief programs in recent years, so senior options today differ from a few
years ago; check current programs with your assessor or Maine Revenue Services.
How Maine Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Maine bill of $3,036 is $1,235 below that. Remember that a low rate does not always mean a low bill — a state with cheap rates but expensive homes can still cost you more than Maine. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Maine Property Tax
You cannot change the Maine property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Maine offers several property tax breaks that can lower your bill, including a homestead exemption for your primary residence and relief for veterans, seniors (generally 65 and older), and disabled homeowners, plus a deferral option some towns offer for qualifying seniors. Eligibility rules and application
deadlines apply, and you generally must apply through your municipality — so check whether you qualify (do not assume it’s automatic).
Second, appeal your assessment if your home is valued higher than it would sell for — studies suggest a large share of homes are over-assessed, and appeals often succeed.
Don’t want to appeal your Maine taxes yourself? A property tax appeal service can file everything for you and usually only charges if it wins — typically a share of what it saves you. It is one option; you can also appeal on your own for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Maine property tax rate?
The average effective Maine property tax rate is about 0.98% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Maine home that works out to roughly $3,036 a year. Your own bill depends on your county, city, and school district, plus any exemptions you claim — see the data box above.
Why is my Maine property tax so high?
Property tax in Maine is driven mostly by your local rates (especially school levies) and by your home’s assessed value. If your assessment is higher than what your home would actually sell for, you may be overpaying — that is the most common reason a bill is too high, and it is something you can appeal.
How can I lower my Maine property tax?
Two things help most in Maine: make sure you are claiming every exemption you qualify for (homestead, senior, veteran, or disability), and appeal your assessment if your home is over-valued. Both can lower your bill, and both are free to do yourself.
Maine Property Tax Sources & Data
- Maine Department of Revenue (property tax): https://www.maine.gov/revenue/taxes/property-tax
- Tax Foundation — Property Taxes by State & County: taxfoundation.org
- U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey): census.gov/acs
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (property tax data): lincolninst.edu
Maine property tax rates and typical bills on this page come from U.S. Census (American Community Survey) data as
published by the Tax Foundation, and were last checked in July 2026. Rates and bills change each year and vary by county
— confirm your own figures with your county assessor before you rely on them.
More Property Tax Guides
- Property Tax Rates by State
- Property Tax by County
- Are You Overpaying? Over-Assessment Checker
- Property Tax Exemption Finder
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Know Property Tax is an independent educational resource. It is not a government agency, not a county assessor, and not a tax-appeal service. Property tax rates, bills, exemptions, and deadlines change over time and vary by county and property. Confirm anything that affects your taxes with your county assessor or a licensed professional before you act.