- About This Answer
To calculate the exact amount of property tax you will owe requires your property's assessed value and the property tax rates based on your property's address. Please note that we can only estimate your property tax based on median property taxes in your area. There are typically multiple rates in a given area, because your state, county, local schools and emergency responders each receive funding partly through these taxes. In our calculator, we take your home value and multiply that by your county's effective property tax rate. This is equal to the median property tax paid as a percentage of the median home value in your county.
Riverside County Property Tax Rates
Riverside County’s average effective tax rate of 1.04% is the second-highest in the state of California, after only Kern County. Median home values in Riverside County vary by city or census-designated place. The county’s overall median home value is $368,100. That’s significantly lower than California’s median home value of $648,100.
Riverside County homeowners pay a median annual property tax payment of $3,827, which is $758 lower than the median real estate taxes paid in California.
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Paying Your Riverside County Property Taxes
As a taxpayer in Riverside County, you’ll be responsible for making sure your property taxes are paid in two installments spread out during the year. If your property tax payments are included in your mortgage payment, your mortgage company will receive the bill and you’ll receive an extra copy for reference. If you get any supplemental tax bills in the mail, it’s a good idea to check in with your lender to find out who will pay this added bill.
Your first installment is due beginning Nov. 1 and no later than December 10 each year. The year’s second installment is due beginning Feb. 1 and no later than April 10. It’s important to note that any unpaid tax balance remaining after either due date is subject to a 10% penalty and other fees.
You have several different payment methods for covering your annual property taxes. The Riverside County Tax Collector offers the option to pay property tax payments online and by automated phone call.
The Tax Collector’s Office accepts payment by credit card at a 2.28% convenience fee and by debit card for a $3.95 flat fee. If you prefer to pay online but don’t want to pay any added fees, you also have the option to pay by e-Check as well.
If you’d rather not pay your property taxes online, you also have the option to send payment by mail. When you receive your tax bill, you’ll find that it includes pre-addressed envelopes for returning your payment. You’ll want to be sure to use these envelopes and include a check or money order payable to the Riverside County Tax Collector with your assessment number included. The Tax Collector’s Office does not accept payments mailed in cash.
How Your Riverside County Property Tax Works
While California State law governs the process, it’s up to Riverside County to ultimately collect property taxes. The Riverside Tax Collector collects payment for the county, all incorporated cities within Riverside County, local school districts and other entities like sanitation districts. Once the county collects these taxes, the Riverside County Auditor-Controller distributes these funds to all parties.
In Riverside County, a home’s price is the basis for its associated property taxes. The property’s assessed value equals the purchase price of the home at the time of the sale. Going forward, the home’s assessed value changes with yearly annual measures of inflation in the state’s Consumer Price Index. As a result, assessed value can be much lower than market value in cases where a homeowner stays put for a length of time.
It’s important to note that in Riverside County, assessment and appraisal do not typically work the same way. California’s Proposition 13 designates that property is only reappraised when new construction happens or a shift in ownership takes place. Outside of these two circ*mstances, Proposition 13 requires that property assessments not increase by more than 2% each year.
So how does assessed value play a role in your annual property taxes? These values work as the foundation for determining property taxes. Assessed value multiplies by the local jurisdiction’s average effective property tax rate to determine your annual tax bill.
If you feel that your home’s assessed value is incorrect, you do have the option to file an appeal. You can do this by contacting the Riverside County Assessment Appeals Board for more information.
You’ll need to file any appeals between July 2 and Nov. 30 of the given year. But it’s important that you still pay both of your installments on time to avoid paying any penalties while your appeal is in process. You’ll receive a refund if the appeal is ultimately ruled in your favor.
Places Receiving the Most Value for Their Property Taxes
SmartAsset’s interactive map highlights the places across the country where property tax dollars are being spent most effectively. Zoom between states and the national map to see the counties getting the biggest bang for their property tax buck.
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| Rank | County | Property Tax Rate | School Rating | Home Value Growth |
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Methodology
Our study aims to find the places in the United States where people are getting the most value for their property tax dollars. To do this, we looked at property taxes paid, school rankings and the change in property values over a five-year period.
First, we used the number of households, median home value and average property tax rate to calculate a per capita property tax collected for each county.
As a way to measure the quality of schools, we analyzed the math and reading/language arts proficiencies for every school district in the country. We created an average score for each district by looking at the scores for every school in that district, weighting it to account for the number of students in each school. Within each state, we assigned every county a score between 1 and 10 (with 10 being the best) based on the average scores of the districts in each county.
Then, we calculated the change in property tax value in each county over a five-year period. Places where property values rose by the greatest amount indicated where consumers were motivated to buy homes, and a positive return on investment for homeowners in the community.
Finally, we calculated a property tax index, based on the criteria above. Counties with the highest scores were those where property tax dollars are going the furthest.
Sources: US Census Bureau 2018 American Community Survey, Department of Education
