The average Missouri property tax rate is about 0.89% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $1,948 a year on the typical Missouri home. That makes Missouri property tax a middle-of-the-pack burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Missouri 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.
Missouri Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 0.89% |
| Median annual bill | $1,948 |
| Median home value | $230,300 |
| Rank among states | #23 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $2,323 below the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Missouri reassesses real estate every two years, in odd-numbered years (personal property is assessed every year as of January 1). |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Missouri Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 0.89% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $1,948 |
| Median home value | $230,300 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #23 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Missouri Guide:
What Is the Missouri Property Tax Rate?
The Missouri 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 Missouri, homeowners pay about 0.89% of their home’s value on average, or around $1,948 a year on a typical $230,300 home. That puts Missouri in the middle nationally — ranked #23 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 with the assessment notice: the numbers on this page show how your market value becomes an assessed value and then a bill, and many increases trace back to the every-two-years reassessment. Check that the property details and assessed value are correct, look into whether you qualify for a senior freeze or other credit, and if the value still looks too high you may have
the right to appeal to your county board of equalization — check with your county assessor for the current window.
You do not have to accept a number that looks wrong.
Think your Missouri bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Missouri Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Missouri property tax starts with an assessed value set by County assessors (in most counties an elected county assessor; the City of St. Louis has its own assessor). Their work is overseen statewide by the Missouri State Tax Commission.. Your county assessor sets a fair market value for your property, and then a ratio fixed by state law is applied to that market value to produce the lower “assessed
value” your bill is actually calculated on.
Look at your assessment notice to see both the market value and the assessed value the county has on record — see the data box above for the ratio. That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Missouri, property is generally reassessed Missouri reassesses real estate every two years, in odd-numbered years (personal property is assessed every year as of January
1)..
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.
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The actual rates in Missouri are set by The rate (levy) is set by local taxing districts, not the state — your county, city, school district, and special districts such as fire, library, or ambulance districts each set their own levy, and many increases require voter approval.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill on an identical house.
Where Your Missouri Property Tax Money Goes
Missouri property taxes mostly fund local public schools, which typically take the largest share. The rest supports county and city services, roads, libraries, and police and fire protection. For most Missouri 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 Missouri note: Missouri’s odd-year, every-two-years reassessment cycle means values (and bills) often jump in a single reassessment year rather than drifting up gradually. Missouri’s Hancock Amendment also generally requires local districts to “roll back” their rates when reassessment raises total values, and a recent 2023 reform (SB 190) created a local-option senior property tax freeze that most counties have since adopted.
How Missouri Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Missouri bill of $1,948 is $2,323 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 Missouri. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Missouri Property Tax
You cannot change the Missouri property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Missouri offers property tax breaks that can lower what you owe, including the state Property Tax Credit (“circuit breaker”) for income-eligible seniors (generally 65+) and disabled homeowners, a local-option senior tax freeze adopted by most counties, and relief for certain veterans and disabled residents. Amounts
and eligibility vary, so check whether you qualify — see the data box above and confirm with your county assessor or collector.
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 Missouri 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 Missouri property tax rate?
The average effective Missouri property tax rate is about 0.89% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Missouri home that works out to roughly $1,948 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 Missouri property tax so high?
Property tax in Missouri 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 Missouri property tax?
Two things help most in Missouri: 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.
Missouri Property Tax Sources & Data
- Missouri Department of Revenue (property tax): https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/individual/tax-types/property-tax-credit/
- 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
Missouri 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.