Oregon's average effective property tax rate is roughly 0.87%–0.97% of assessed value (sources vary: Tax Foundation ~0.81% of assessed value; other aggregators cite 0.77%–0.87%), which is BELOW the ~0.99%-1.02% national average — making Oregon a below-average property tax state overall, though this masks huge county-level variation. Rates by county range from about 0.41% in Grant County up to roughly 1.02% in Multnomah County (Portland area), so Portland-area homeowners often pay noticeably closer to or above the national average while rural Oregon counties pay well below it. Critically, Oregon taxes are based on "Assessed Value" (capped by Measure 50 at 1995-96 value +3%/year growth), not Real Market Value — so effective rates against real market value are often far lower than rates against assessed value, since assessed value can run 40-60% below real market value in hot markets. Oregon's Measure 5 also caps total taxes at $10 per $1,000 of real market value for general government and $5 per $1,000 for schools, triggering "compression" (automatic tax reductions) when combined levies exceed those caps — this cost Oregon cities over $31 million in lost revenue in a single recent fiscal year.
Example: Statewide, the median Oregon property tax bill is roughly $2,700-$3,800/year depending on source and year (one widely cited figure: $3,806 median vs. $2,400 national median). On a roughly $357,000-$380,000 median-valued home, typical annual bills land around $2,745-$3,306. Regional variation is stark: Lake County's median bill is about $1,407/year while Multnomah County's median is about $5,061/year, and the city of Portland specifically has a median annual bill around $5,381 — nearly double the statewide median — due to overlapping city, county, school, and voter-approved local option levies.
Figures vary meaningfully by source (0.77% to 0.97% for the effective rate; $2,700 to $3,800+ for median bill) because Oregon's assessed-value system (Measure 50) decouples taxable value from real market value, so different data providers compute "effective rate" differently (some divide tax bill by assessed value, others by real market/sale price). Practical tip: because Oregon has no general senior/homestead exemption, the single most impactful move for eligible Oregon seniors (62+) or disabled homeowners under the $70,000 income cap is applying for the Senior and Disabled Citizen Property Tax Deferral Program before the April 15, 2026 deadline, since it defers 100% of the annual tax bill rather than providing a partial exemption.</notes>
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.