The average Alaska property tax rate is about 0.94% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $3,901 a year on the typical Alaska home. That makes Alaska property tax a middle-of-the-pack burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Alaska 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.
Alaska Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 0.94% |
| Median annual bill | $3,901 |
| Median home value | $352,900 |
| Rank among states | #20 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $370 below the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Values are updated annually — Alaska requires assessment every year as of January 1 — with assessors adjusting for sales data and market trends. Physical, in-person inspections of a property are done periodically (often on a multi-year cycle, depending on the borough’s resources). |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Alaska Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 0.94% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $3,901 |
| Median home value | $352,900 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #20 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Alaska Guide:
What Is the Alaska Property Tax Rate?
The Alaska 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 Alaska, homeowners pay about 0.94% of their home’s value on average, or around $3,901 a year on a typical $352,900 home. That puts Alaska in the middle nationally — ranked #20 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 the number on this page looks high, start by reading your assessment notice closely — the assessed value is what your local mill rate is applied to, and confirming the property details (size, condition, features) are correct is a reasonable first step. Many homeowners find they may qualify for an exemption, especially seniors and disabled veterans, so it’s worth asking your borough assessor what’s available to you. If you
still believe your assessed value is too high, you generally have the right to appeal to your local Board of Equalization — check your notice or your borough assessor’s office for how and by when to file.
Think your Alaska bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Alaska Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Alaska property tax starts with an assessed value set by Property in Alaska is assessed locally by **borough assessors** (and by municipal/city assessors in incorporated cities). Alaska is organized into boroughs rather than counties, and the state Office of the State Assessor (Dept. of Commerce, Community & Economic Development) provides oversight and guidance.. Alaska law (AS 29.45.110) requires property to be assessed at its full and true value —
that is, its fair market value as of January 1 each year — so your assessed value is meant to reflect what the property would sell for.
The mill rate is then applied to that assessed value, so check the assessed value printed on your assessment notice to make sure it’s fair and the property details are correct. That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Alaska, property is generally reassessed Values are updated annually — Alaska requires assessment every year as of January 1 — with assessors
adjusting for sales data and market trends.
Physical, in-person inspections of a property are done periodically (often on a multi-year cycle, depending on the borough’s resources).. 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 Alaska are set by The tax rate (the “mill rate”) is set locally by the **borough assembly or city council**, not by the state. Each governing body sets its mill rate each year based on its budget needs after other revenue sources are counted.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill on an identical house.
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Where Your Alaska Property Tax Money Goes
Alaska property taxes mostly fund local services — schools, roads, police and fire, and other borough and municipal operations. Because these are collected and spent locally, what you pay supports your own borough or city. For most Alaska 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 Alaska note: Alaska is genuinely distinctive: it has no statewide income tax and no statewide sales tax, so boroughs and cities rely heavily on the property tax to fund local government and schools. It’s also worth knowing that much of Alaska lies in the “Unorganized Borough,” where there is no general property tax except within incorporated cities — so whether you pay property tax at all can depend on
where in the state you live.
How Alaska Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Alaska bill of $3,901 is $370 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 Alaska. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Alaska Property Tax
You cannot change the Alaska property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Alaska offers property tax breaks that can lower your bill. State law requires every municipality to grant an exemption on the primary residence of seniors (age 65 and older) and qualifying disabled veterans, and boroughs may add optional exemptions of their own (for example, additional
relief for seniors/disabled veterans or a general residential exemption).
Eligibility rules — such as residency, age, and how the home is used — apply, so check with your borough assessor to see whether you qualify. (See the data box above for any amounts.) 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 Alaska 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 Alaska property tax rate?
The average effective Alaska property tax rate is about 0.94% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Alaska home that works out to roughly $3,901 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 Alaska property tax so high?
Property tax in Alaska 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 Alaska property tax?
Two things help most in Alaska: 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.
Alaska Property Tax Sources & Data
- Alaska Department of Revenue (property tax): https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/dcra/LocalGovernmentResourceDesk/TaxationAssessment/PropertyTax.aspx
- 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
Alaska 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.