Kansas's average effective property tax rate is approximately 1.21%–1.29% of assessed home value (SmartAsset cites 1.25%; Tax Foundation cites 1.21%; other aggregators report figures up to 1.29%–1.48% depending on methodology and data vintage). This is meaningfully higher than the national average, which sits in the roughly 0.9%–1.0% range across sources (commonly cited as ~0.90%-1.01%). This puts Kansas among the higher-tax states nationally — generally cited in the top 12-15 states by effective rate. Within Kansas, rates vary by county: Riley County runs as high as ~1.53%, Sedgwick County (Wichita) is lower at ~1.14%, and Johnson County (Kansas City metro suburbs) tracks close to the statewide rate at ~1.25%, though its much higher home values drive a much bigger dollar tax bill.
Example: Statewide, the median home value in Kansas is about $238,700, and the median annual property tax bill is approximately $2,983 (SmartAsset). By contrast, in Johnson County — the state's highest-value county — the median home value is about $432,600 with a median annual tax bill around $4,712, while lower-cost counties like Wyandotte (median home value ~$202,100) see correspondingly smaller dollar bills despite similar or higher effective rates.
Figures vary somewhat by data source/methodology (SmartAsset: 1.25% effective rate, $2,983 median bill; Tax Foundation: 1.21%; other aggregators: up to 1.29%-1.48%) because effective rate calculations differ based on whether they use assessed value, sale price, or Census ACS survey data, and on the vintage of the underlying data (2023-2025 tax years). Both the Homestead Refund and SAFESR require filing Kansas WebFile or paper forms (K-40H or K-40PT) between January 1 and April 15 of the following year, and a claimant cannot receive both the Homestead Refund and SAFESR for the same tax year — the state calculates which is more advantageous. Homeowners should verify current-year income thresholds and refund caps directly with the Kansas Department of Revenue (ksrevenue.gov) since these figures are adjusted periodically by the legislature.
Facts on this page reflect research current as of 2026-07-05. Programs, rates, and laws change — confirm current figures with the relevant state agency before relying on them.