The average Delaware property tax rate is about 0.54% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $1,768 a year on the typical Delaware home. That makes Delaware property tax one of the lower burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Delaware 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.
Delaware Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 0.54% |
| Median annual bill | $1,768 |
| Median home value | $352,000 |
| Rank among states | #39 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $2,503 below the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Historically Delaware counties went decades between reassessments, but after the courts found that outdated system unconstitutional, all three counties completed a full reassessment (values as of mid-2024). Under a 2023 state law, Delaware property is now scheduled to be reassessed every five years. |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Delaware Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 0.54% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $1,768 |
| Median home value | $352,000 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #39 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Delaware Guide:
What Is the Delaware Property Tax Rate?
The Delaware 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 Delaware, homeowners pay about 0.54% of their home’s value on average, or around $1,768 a year on a typical $352,000 home. That puts Delaware near the bottom nationally — ranked #39 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 after the recent statewide reassessment, that reflects your home’s updated market value, not necessarily a mistake — but it is worth confirming the numbers are right for your property. Start by checking the assessed value and property details on your notice, then see whether you qualify for a senior, veteran, or homestead exemption, and if the assessed value looks too high compared with similar homes,
you have the right to file an appeal with your county’s Board of Assessment Review.
Many homeowners find that a careful check of their assessment and available relief programs is the most realistic next step.
Think your Delaware bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Delaware Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Delaware property tax starts with an assessed value set by Property in Delaware is assessed at the county level. Each of the three counties — New Castle, Kent, and Sussex — has its own assessment office (in New Castle County, the Assessment Division within the Office of Finance) that values property, and each county has a Board of Assessment Review that hears appeals.. Your county assessor sets a market
value for your home, and then a ratio or percentage established under county rules is applied to that market value to produce the “assessed value” that your tax bill is actually calculated on.
Look for the assessed value printed on your assessment notice or tax bill, and check that it reasonably reflects what your home is worth — do not rely on the exact ratio here (see the data box above). That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Delaware, property is generally reassessed Historically Delaware counties went decades between reassessments, but after the
courts found that outdated system unconstitutional, all three counties completed a full reassessment (values as of mid-2024).
Under a 2023 state law, Delaware property is now scheduled to be reassessed every five years.. 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 Delaware are set by The state of Delaware does not levy a property tax. Rates are set locally by the three counties, by municipalities/cities, and — for the largest share of most bills — by local school districts. County and school-district rate increases generally require a public vote or referendum.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill on an identical
📨 Get Free Property Tax Guides Alerts
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
house.
Where Your Delaware Property Tax Money Goes
Delaware property taxes mostly fund local public schools, which are typically the largest line on the bill. The remainder pays for county and municipal services such as police and fire, roads, libraries, sewer, and general local government. For most Delaware 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 Delaware note: Delaware’s defining recent feature is its first countywide reassessment in roughly 40 years (New Castle County had not fully reassessed since 1983 and Sussex since 1974), triggered by a court ruling that the old system was unconstitutional and now locked to a five-year cycle. Note that Delaware has a state income tax and no state sales tax, so the “no income tax” reliance seen in some states
does not apply here.
How Delaware Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Delaware bill of $1,768 is $2,503 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 Delaware. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Delaware Property Tax
You cannot change the Delaware property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Delaware offers several property tax breaks that can lower a bill, and you may qualify for more than you realize. These include a Senior School Property Tax Credit for homeowners age 65 and older, a Homestead Exemption for elderly persons that individual counties and municipalities
may adopt, and a Disabled Veterans School Tax Credit for veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability.
Most apply only to a primary residence and require an application — check with your county assessor or the state Department of Finance to see whether you qualify (do not rely on any dollar figures here; see the data box above). 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 Delaware 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 Delaware property tax rate?
The average effective Delaware property tax rate is about 0.54% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Delaware home that works out to roughly $1,768 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 Delaware property tax so high?
Property tax in Delaware 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 Delaware property tax?
Two things help most in Delaware: 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.
Delaware Property Tax Sources & Data
- 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
Delaware 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.