The average Hawaii property tax rate is about 0.29% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $2,239 a year on the typical Hawaii home. That makes Hawaii property tax one of the lower burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Hawaii 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.
Hawaii Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 0.29% |
| Median annual bill | $2,239 |
| Median home value | $839,100 |
| Rank among states | #50 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $2,032 below the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Hawaii counties reassess property annually, mailing owners a new assessment notice each year before the tax year begins. |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Hawaii Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 0.29% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $2,239 |
| Median home value | $839,100 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #50 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Hawaii Guide:
What Is the Hawaii Property Tax Rate?
The Hawaii 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 Hawaii, homeowners pay about 0.29% of their home’s value on average, or around $2,239 a year on a typical $839,100 home. That puts Hawaii near the bottom nationally — ranked #50 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 your assessment notice closely: the county’s estimate of your home’s market value is what drives the number, so confirm it looks reasonable for a property like yours. Next, make sure you’re getting every exemption you’re entitled to — many homeowners, especially owner-occupants and those 65 and older, qualify for relief they haven’t claimed. If the assessed value still seems too high after
that, you have the right to file an appeal with your county; check your notice for the deadline and how to begin.
Think your Hawaii bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Hawaii Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Hawaii property tax starts with an assessed value set by Property in Hawaii is assessed at the county level by each county’s real property assessment office — the Real Property Assessment Division (City & County of Honolulu / Maui County), the Real Property Tax Division of the Department of Finance (Hawaii County / Big Island), and the Real Property Assessment Office (Kauai County). There is no statewide property tax
assessor..
Each county appraises your home at its fair market value — what it would likely sell for — and that value, minus any exemptions you qualify for, becomes the net taxable value used for your bill. Look at the assessed value printed on your assessment notice and make sure it reflects a realistic price for your property; the exact figures are in the data box above. That assessed value is
then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill.
In Hawaii, property is generally reassessed Hawaii counties reassess property annually, mailing owners a new assessment notice each year before the tax year begins.. 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 Hawaii are set by The counties set the rates — each county council adopts the real property tax rates as part of its annual budget. Hawaii has no statewide property tax rate, and rates are applied per $1,000 of net taxable value.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill on an identical house.
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Where Your Hawaii Property Tax Money Goes
Real property taxes in Hawaii fund county government services — things like police and fire, roads, parks, and other local operations. Public schools in Hawaii are run by the state rather than funded through your county property tax bill. For most Hawaii 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 Hawaii note: Hawaii is unusual in that property tax is entirely a county matter: assessment, rate-setting, billing, and collection were all delegated from the state to the four counties in the early 1980s, so the State Department of Taxation is not involved in your property tax. Property tax is the single largest source of revenue for county governments.
How Hawaii Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Hawaii bill of $2,239 is $2,032 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 Hawaii. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Hawaii Property Tax
You cannot change the Hawaii property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Hawaii offers property tax relief that can lower your bill, including a home exemption for owners who live in their property as their primary residence, with additional relief that generally stacks on for homeowners who are seniors (age 65 and older), totally disabled veterans, and
people who are blind, deaf, or totally disabled.
Amounts and rules vary by county — see the data box above and check with your county real property office to confirm whether you qualify and how to apply. 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 Hawaii 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 Hawaii property tax rate?
The average effective Hawaii property tax rate is about 0.29% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Hawaii home that works out to roughly $2,239 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 Hawaii property tax so high?
Property tax in Hawaii 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 Hawaii property tax?
Two things help most in Hawaii: 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.
Hawaii Property Tax Sources & Data
- Hawaii Department of Revenue (property tax): UNVERIFIED — Hawaii property tax is administered by the counties, not the State Department of Taxation, so there is no state DOR property-tax page. Official county sources: https://realproperty.honolulu.gov/ (Honolulu/Oahu), https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/departments/finance/real-property-tax (Hawaii County), https://www.mauicounty.gov/1952/Real-Property-Assessment-Division (Maui), and https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Finance/Real-Property-Tax (Kauai).
- 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
Hawaii 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.