Property tax by ZIP code in Maryland
Enter a Maryland ZIP and see the median property tax paid, median home value, and effective tax rate from the 2020–2024 American Community Survey — plus how it compares to the Maryland state median.
Look up a Maryland ZIP code
Enter a 5-digit Maryland ZIP code above to see its property tax data.
ZIP doesn't have ACS data — typically because it's a PO-box-only ZIP, a single-business ZIP, or a small area where the Census suppresses small-sample estimates. Try a nearby ZIP.
ZIP isn't a Maryland ZIP code. This page covers Maryland only. Other states are launching state by state — check back, or use our state-by-state median page in the meantime.
Maryland's effective property-tax rate is moderate — around 0.97% of value statewide — but bills run high in absolute dollars because home values are among the highest in the country, especially in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore suburbs. Unusually, Maryland assesses property at the state level, not the county.
Enter a 5-digit Maryland ZIP to see its median property tax, median home value, and effective rate from the US Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 vintage, plus how it compares to the Maryland state and US national medians. The explainer below covers SDAT's statewide three-year assessment cycle and phase-in, the Homestead Tax Credit cap, and the income-based Homeowners' Property Tax Credit.
How Maryland property tax works
Maryland is unusual: real property is assessed by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) and its 24 local assessment offices — not by the counties. SDAT appraises every property at fair market value on a three-year (triennial) cycle: roughly a third of the state's accounts are reassessed each year, and when a value rises, the increase is phased in over the three years rather than hitting all at once. Counties, Baltimore City, and municipalities then apply their own tax rates to SDAT's assessment to produce your bill.
Two homeowner programs do most of the work of holding bills down. The Homestead Tax Credit caps how fast the taxable assessment on your principal residence can rise each year — the state limit is 10%, and counties and municipalities may set a lower cap for their portion — so you're not taxed on assessment spikes above the cap. It takes a one-time application to establish eligibility.
The income-based Homeowners' Property Tax Credit caps property tax as a share of income for households with gross income up to $60,000 and net worth under $200,000 (excluding the home and qualified retirement accounts), applied to the first $300,000 of assessed value. Apply by April 15 to have it reduce the July bill (final deadline October 1).
Why your actual bill differs
The numbers above describe a typical homeowner in this ZIP — not your specific bill. A few things move bills away from the median:
- County and municipal rates. SDAT sets the assessment, but each county (and any incorporated town) sets its own rate on top of the state rate, so two similar homes in different counties can owe different amounts.
- The three-year phase-in. Because assessment increases phase in over three years, a home recently reassessed upward may still be climbing toward its full taxable value — so its bill can sit below, then above, the ZIP median over the cycle.
- Credits. The Homestead Tax Credit shields qualifying owners from fast assessment growth, and the income-based Homeowners' Property Tax Credit can pull a qualifying owner's bill well below the median.
Look up any Maryland property's assessment on the SDAT Real Property Data Search; your actual bill and payment are handled by your county or Baltimore City finance office.
Methodology
Data on this page comes from the US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 vintage (released January 29, 2026), at the ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level. After filtering ZCTAs the Census suppresses for privacy or small-sample reasons, this page covers 420 Maryland ZIPs.
Topcoding in Maryland. The Census caps median property tax at $10,000, reporting anything higher as $10,001. A moderate number of MD ZIPs — concentrated in the high-value D.C. and Baltimore suburbs — hit the cap; for those, the figure is a floor and the effective rate is conservative.
See the full methodology page for source details (Census table IDs, the comparison-median rule, calculator formulas), how we handle topcoding across every state, and the refresh cadence.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the median tax in my ZIP different from what I pay?
Median is the middle of the distribution, not your bill. SDAT assesses at market value and phases increases in over three years, but your bill depends on your county and municipal rate. The Homestead Tax Credit cap and the income-based Homeowners' Property Tax Credit move qualifying owners further from the median.
Why might my ZIP show $10,001 as the median tax?
That's the Census topcode for privacy. It appears in a moderate number of higher-value Maryland ZIPs (D.C. and Baltimore suburbs); where you see it, the true median is at least $10,000 and the rate shown is a conservative floor.
Where do I find my Maryland assessment and bill?
Assessments are on the SDAT Real Property Data Search; your tax bill and payment go through your county (or Baltimore City) finance office, which applies its rate to that assessment.
When does Maryland data update on this page?
Annually, when the Census Bureau releases a new ACS 5-year vintage. The 2020–2024 vintage released January 29, 2026. The next vintage (2021–2025) typically follows the next year, though the Census has not yet posted its release date.
Who assesses property in Maryland — the county or the state?
The state. SDAT and its 24 local offices assess all real property on a three-year cycle; counties and municipalities set the rates applied to those assessments. That's different from most states, where the county assessor sets values.