The average Illinois property tax rate is about 1.88% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $5,298 a year on the typical Illinois home. That makes Illinois property tax one of the higher burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Illinois 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.
Illinois Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 1.88% |
| Median annual bill | $5,298 |
| Median home value | $263,300 |
| Rank among states | #1 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $1,027 above the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Most Illinois property is reviewed and revalued on a regular multi-year cycle (Cook County runs on its own shorter cycle, and farmland is looked at every year); assessed values can also change when improvements are made. Check your county assessor for your township’s exact reassessment year. |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Illinois Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 1.88% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $5,298 |
| Median home value | $263,300 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #1 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Illinois Guide:
What Is the Illinois Property Tax Rate?
The Illinois 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 Illinois, homeowners pay about 1.88% of their home’s value on average, or around $5,298 a year on a typical $263,300 home. That puts Illinois near the top nationally — ranked #1 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 and EAV on this page and on your assessment notice — that number, not the tax rate alone, usually drives what you owe. Next, make sure every exemption you’re entitled to (homestead, senior, disability, or veteran) is actually applied, since many homeowners miss ones they qualify for. If the assessed value looks too high for your home, you generally
have the right to appeal to your county Board of Review — check with your county assessor for how and by when.
Think your Illinois bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Illinois Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Illinois property tax starts with an assessed value set by In most of Illinois, your local **township assessor** (or a multi-township assessor) does the hands-on valuation, overseen by the **County Supervisor of Assessments / Chief County Assessment Officer**. Cook County is different — it has an elected **Cook County Assessor**.. The assessor estimates your property’s fair market value, then applies a ratio set by state law to arrive at
your assessed value; a county equalization factor is applied to reach the “equalized assessed value” (EAV) that your bill is built on.
Look for the assessed value and EAV printed on your assessment notice and check they seem right for your home — do not rely on the exact ratio here (see your notice). That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Illinois, property is generally reassessed Most Illinois property is reviewed and revalued on a regular multi-year cycle (Cook County runs on
its own shorter cycle, and farmland is looked at every year); assessed values can also change when improvements are made.
Check your county assessor for your township’s exact reassessment year.. 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 Illinois are set by There is no single statewide rate. Your local taxing districts each set how much they need to raise (their levy) — this includes **school districts, municipalities/cities, the county, townships, and special districts** (parks, libraries, fire protection). Those levies together, divided across property values, produce your rate.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill on an identical
house.
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Where Your Illinois Property Tax Money Goes
Illinois property taxes stay local and fund the districts that requested them. **School districts receive the largest share by far**, with the rest going to county and municipal services, roads, police and fire protection, libraries, and parks. For most Illinois 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 Illinois note: Illinois leans heavily on local property taxes to fund schools and services, and uses an equalized-assessed-value (EAV) system with a county equalization factor rather than taxing raw market value directly. Many Illinois counties also fall under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (“tax caps”), which limits how much a taxing district’s overall levy can grow year to year — ask your county assessor whether it applies where
you live.
How Illinois Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Illinois bill of $5,298 is $1,027 above 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 Illinois. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Illinois Property Tax
You cannot change the Illinois property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Illinois offers several property tax breaks that can lower your bill, including a general homestead exemption for owner-occupied homes, plus added relief for **seniors (65 and older), a senior “assessment freeze,” homeowners with disabilities, and veterans with service-connected disabilities**. Many are a one-time application with
your county assessor while some require yearly income recertification — it’s worth checking which ones you may qualify for (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 Illinois 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 Illinois property tax rate?
The average effective Illinois property tax rate is about 1.88% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Illinois home that works out to roughly $5,298 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 Illinois property tax so high?
Property tax in Illinois 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 Illinois property tax?
Two things help most in Illinois: 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.
Illinois Property Tax Sources & Data
- Illinois Department of Revenue (property tax): https://tax.illinois.gov/localgovernments/property.html
- 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
Illinois 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.