Oregon · County property tax · ACS 2024
Columbia County Property Taxes
The median homeowner in Columbia County pays $3,137 a year, an effective rate of 0.74%, far above the U.S. average.
- $3,137
- Median tax / yr
- 0.74%
- Effective rate
- +57%
- vs U.S. average
- #20 of 36
- rank in OR
The verdict
Homeowners in Columbia County pay a median $3,137 a year in property tax, an effective rate of 0.74%, more affordable than 56% of U.S. counties.
- $3,137
- Median annual tax bill, 2024
- 0.74%
- Effective rate on median home
- #1390 of 3135
- U.S. counties by tax burden
- +57%
- vs the national average bill
Effective rate is the median property tax bill divided by the median home value ($421,600). U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2024.
Census Bureau ACS property tax data for Oregon. Owner-occupied homes: 15,936.
The median annual property tax in Columbia County is $3,137, which is 19% lower than the Oregon state average and 57% above the national average. The effective tax rate is 0.74% on a median home value of $421,600. Property taxes represent 3.6% of the median household income in this county.
What This Data Tells Us About Columbia County
Homeowners in Columbia County pay a median annual property tax of $3,137, far above the national median and notably lower than the Oregon state median. On a $421,600 median home, that works out to an effective rate of 0.74% once the local assessment base and millage are combined.
Property taxes in Columbia County run within the commonly cited 2%-4% national benchmark, at about 3.6% of the $87,458 median household income. Since 2023, the median bill has ticked up 6.4%, tracking the county's reassessment cycle and shifts in the underlying home-value distribution.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Figures describe the median homeowner household in Columbia County as reported to the Census Bureau, your own bill can differ based on your parcel's assessed value, exemptions, special districts, and municipal overlays. Always consult your county assessor, tax collector, or a qualified professional before making decisions that depend on these numbers.
With vs Without Mortgage
Mortgaged and non-mortgaged homeowners in Columbia County pay about the same bill, a 4% gap.
How Columbia County compares
Effective property tax rate (median tax ÷ median home value), ACS 2024.
Columbia County's effective rate is higher than 44% of the 36 counties in Oregon - ranking #20 of 36 for property tax burden.
Where Columbia County sits among every U.S. county
Effective property tax rate (median tax ÷ median home value)
0.74% more affordable than 56% of 3,135 U.S. counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more U.S. counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2024
Columbia County vs Benchmarks
| Metric | Columbia County | Oregon Avg | U.S. Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Tax | $3,137 | $3,876 | $1,993 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 0.74% | 0.81% | 0.92% |
| Median Home Value | $421,600 | $477,600 | $227,791 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates. Tax-burden differences across rows reflect millage decisions, assessment-ratio practices, and the residential-vs-commercial mix of each tax base.
Think your Columbia County property tax bill is too high?
A successful appeal can lower your assessed value by 10-25%, cutting your annual tax bill by hundreds or thousands of dollars. Use our free Appeal Savings Estimator to project savings on your specific home, then read our step-by-step appeal guide for the exact procedure in Oregon.
Property Tax History
| Year | Median Tax | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,137 +6.4% | 0.74% |
| 2023 | $2,948 +4.2% | 0.75% |
| 2022 | $2,829 +7.1% | 0.77% |
| 2021 | $2,642 +4.0% | 0.84% |
| 2020 | $2,540 | 0.90% |
Tax Burden
Tax Affordability Score
An effective rate notably lower than the national average of 0.92% puts Columbia County in the "Very Affordable" band for property tax burden.
How this score is calculated: a 1-10 scale derived mechanically from the ratio of this county's effective rate to the national average effective rate (0.92%) - a ratio at or below 0.5× scores 10, a ratio at or above 2.0× scores 1, with a linear scale between. It is a factual comparison of Census figures only, not a recommendation, quality rating, or endorsement of Columbia County or any other county.
Other Counties in Oregon
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average property tax in Columbia County, Oregon? ▼
How does Columbia County property tax compare to the national average? ▼
What percentage of income goes to property taxes in Columbia County? ▼
Are property taxes increasing in Columbia County? ▼
What this means in Columbia County
How to use Columbia County's property-tax numbers, for budgeting, comparison, or an appeal.
- At Columbia County's 0.74% effective rate, a $421,600 home implies about $3,137/yr, plug in your own home's value to estimate your bill. Estimate your bill
- Columbia County ranks #20 of 36 counties in Oregon by effective rate, compare it against the rest of the state before you judge your bill. Oregon overview
- If your assessed value looks high relative to Columbia County's typical home, you may have grounds to appeal, most jurisdictions have a filing window each year. How to appeal
Effective rate is the county median tax divided by the county median home value ($421,600); your parcel's assessed value, exemptions, and local levies determine your actual bill. U.S. Census Bureau ACS · 2024.
Data as of 2024. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.
Property tax data reflects median amounts paid by homeowners. Effective rates are calculated as median tax divided by median home value.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.