Utah's average effective property tax rate is one of the lowest in the nation. The Tax Foundation's 2026 data puts Utah's effective rate on owner-occupied housing at approximately 0.47%-0.48%, while other trackers (SmartAsset, WorldPopulationReview, Ownwell) estimate it slightly higher at roughly 0.49%-0.55%. Either way, Utah consistently ranks among the 8-10 lowest states in the country, at less than half the national average effective rate (commonly cited between 0.90% and 1.02% depending on the source/methodology, with ~0.99% being a widely used benchmark). Utah's low rate is driven partly by strong home value appreciation outpacing relatively flat levied amounts, and partly by the state's generous residential exemption (see below). There is regional variation: fast-growing Wasatch Front counties (Salt Lake, Utah, Davis) tend to have higher assessed values and thus larger absolute tax bills even at similar or lower rates, while some rural counties have both lower home values and lower effective rates.
Example: The median Utah homeowner pays approximately $2,525 per year in property taxes, on a median home value of roughly $489,400 (recent 2025-2026 data aggregated from sources including Ownwell and Tax-Rates.org). This is well below the U.S. median annual property tax bill, which is generally cited in the $3,000-$3,500+ range, underscoring Utah's relatively light property tax burden despite its high home values.
Sources show modest variance (0.47%-0.55%) in the exact effective rate because different trackers (Tax Foundation vs. SmartAsset vs. WalletHub-style aggregators) use different denominators (owner-occupied value only vs. all residential parcels) and different vintages of assessment data — treat any single decimal as an estimate, not a precise government-published figure. Practical tip: Utah homeowners should confirm their Primary Residential Exemption is actually applied on their county tax notice (it is not always automatic when a home is newly purchased or converted from rental use), and eligible seniors/disabled/low-income households should proactively file for the circuit breaker credit by the September 1 deadline since it is not applied automatically.
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.