Data Analysis
More than half of the houses for sale in Palm Beach County, 2,064 of 3,862, showed a seller's property tax bill below half of what the county's average rate implies at the asking price on November 2, 2026.
The median Palm Beach County house listing showed a $8,569 tax bill against about $16,400 at the county average rate on its $875,000 asking price.
On November 2, 2026, the median single-family house for sale in Palm Beach County asked $875,000 and showed a 2025 property tax bill of $8,569, or 0.89 percent of the asking price. At the county's average rate of about 18.72 mills, a bill assessed at that price would be about $16,400 before exemptions. 2,064 of 3,862 houses with a 2025 or 2026 tax line, 53 percent, showed a bill below half of that full-value figure, and the median gap was $8,560 a year. Condos showed 1.26 percent and townhomes 1.27 percent. All MLS figures are ours, computed from BeachesMLS records.
The 2026 Florida tax bills went out on November 1, so buyers touring homes this month see a seller's bill on every listing that may have little to do with their own. Our statewide property tax reset analysis covers the rule; this article measures it across what is for sale in Palm Beach County today. Recent coverage of Palm Beach County condos under contract, price cuts against contracts and new-home communities covers supply and pricing, and monthly figures are on the West Palm Beach market data hub.
Why does a Palm Beach County listing understate a buyer's tax bill?
Under Florida's Save Our Homes rule, a homesteaded property's assessed value can rise no more than 3 percent a year or the inflation rate, whichever is lower. Section 193.155 of the Florida Statutes resets the assessment to just value on the January 1 after a change of ownership. A long-time owner's bill reflects years of capped growth. A buyer's first full bill starts from a new assessment that usually sits near the price paid.
Our Palm Beach County property tax calculator uses the 2025-26 county average of about 18.72 mills from Florida TaxWatch. The Palm Beach County homestead exemption guide values the full exemption at about $773 a year at that rate, which still leaves a homesteaded buyer at the median house price near $15,600.
How big is the gap for each type of home?
| Type (active listings with a 2025 or 2026 tax line) | Listings | Median asking price | Median listed tax bill | Bill as share of price | Share under 1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family houses | 3,862 | $875,000 | $8,569 | 0.89% | 58% |
| Townhomes | 983 | $425,000 | $5,182 | 1.27% | 36% |
| Villas | 599 | $309,512 | $2,900 | 1.01% | 49% |
| Condos | 4,469 | $250,000 | $3,178 | 1.26% | 33% |
Source: Momentum Research, computed from BeachesMLS records, Palm Beach County active listings, live snapshot, November 2, 2026. Listed tax bill is the seller's annual amount as reported on the listing. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Houses carry the widest gap. Condos and townhomes trade more often and include many non-homesteaded units, so their listed bills sit closer to a full-value bill, though condo buyers also budget association fees, listed by community on our Palm Beach County HOA fees page.
Which cities show the biggest gap?
| City (single-family) | Active | Median asking price | Median listed tax bill | Bill as share of price | Share under 1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boca Raton | 547 | $1,849,000 | $11,718 | 0.74% | 71% |
| West Palm Beach | 486 | $697,000 | $7,478 | 0.93% | 55% |
| Boynton Beach | 461 | $549,000 | $5,705 | 0.96% | 53% |
| Delray Beach | 357 | $1,250,000 | $8,840 | 0.76% | 65% |
| Palm Beach Gardens | 329 | $1,600,000 | $11,945 | 0.77% | 63% |
| Wellington | 277 | $1,295,000 | $11,945 | 0.95% | 53% |
| Lake Worth | 276 | $629,450 | $5,971 | 0.93% | 57% |
| Jupiter | 190 | $1,712,000 | $12,984 | 0.74% | 72% |
| Loxahatchee | 117 | $834,999 | $9,300 | 1.03% | 48% |
| Westlake | 74 | $727,499 | $10,141 | 1.53% | 26% |
| Town of Palm Beach | 63 | $19,500,000 | $128,069 | 0.57% | 90% |
Source: Momentum Research, live snapshot, November 2, 2026. City follows the listing address; Lake Worth includes unincorporated areas with a Lake Worth mailing address. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
The coastal cities with the most long-held houses, Jupiter, Boca Raton and Delray Beach, show the largest share of listings with a bill under 1 percent of price, and 57 of the 63 houses for sale in the Town of Palm Beach do. Westlake, a newer city whose supply is mostly recent construction, is the exception at 1.53 percent, because recently built and recently sold houses already carry assessments near market value and many sit in special taxing districts.
Does the gap grow with price?
| Single-family asking price | Active | In contract | Bill as share of price | Share under 1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $400,000 | 279 | 140 | 1.23% | 36% |
| $400,000 to $599,999 | 812 | 329 | 1.11% | 43% |
| $600,000 to $999,999 | 1,056 | 346 | 1.03% | 47% |
| $1 million to $1,999,999 | 706 | 242 | 0.81% | 64% |
| $2 million and up | 1,009 | 193 | 0.60% | 82% |
Source: Momentum Research, live snapshot, November 2, 2026. In contract counts pending and active under contract listings. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
The share of capped bills climbs with price. At $2 million and up, 82 percent of houses show a bill under 1 percent of price, against 36 percent under $400,000. Houses under $400,000 also had the fastest contract pace, about 2.0 active listings per contract, against 5.2 at $2 million and up.
New construction needs its own check: 225 of the 669 houses built in 2020 or later were marked new construction, and the group's median listed bill was 0.74 percent of price. A newly built house is often still taxed on the lot until the January 1 after it is finished.
What does this mean for buyers and sellers?
For buyers, set the tax budget from the price you expect to pay. Subtract any homestead exemption, multiply by the local millage, and check the result in our Florida property tax calculator. City millage and special districts can push a bill above the county average.
For sellers, a buyer's lender will escrow taxes on the new assessment, so the true monthly cost of your house is higher than your own bill suggests. In the upper price bands, where contract pace is slowest, that difference is part of what buyers weigh. Month-by-month pace is in our Beaches Market Pulse.
People also ask
What is the property tax rate in Palm Beach County?
The 2025-26 county average is about 18.72 mills, or 1.87 percent of taxable value, based on the Florida TaxWatch county average used in our Palm Beach County calculator. City and special-district levies vary.
Why are property taxes on a Palm Beach County listing so low?
Many sellers have owned for years under the Save Our Homes cap, which limits yearly assessment growth on a homestead. On November 2, 2026, 58 percent of house listings in the county showed a bill under 1 percent of the asking price.
How much will taxes be on a $875,000 house in Palm Beach County?
At the county average rate, a bill based on an $875,000 price would be about $16,400 before exemptions, or roughly $15,600 with the full homestead exemption. The median listing at that price showed $8,569.
Limitations
Tax amounts are the figures entered on each listing and can be incomplete or out of date; listings without a 2025 or 2026 tax amount, and listings under $50,000, are excluded. The full-value comparison uses one county average rate, while actual bills depend on city millage, special districts, non-ad valorem assessments, exemptions and the assessed value the property appraiser sets. This is a live snapshot of BeachesMLS records for Palm Beach County and can differ from monthly inventory counts. Nothing here is tax or legal advice; the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector set actual bills.
Sources and links
- Momentum Research, computed from BeachesMLS records, Palm Beach County active and in-contract listings, live snapshot, November 2, 2026. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed by the MLS to be accurate.
- Florida Statutes, section 193.155 (homestead assessment limit and change of ownership).
- Florida TaxWatch 2025 county average millage, as used in our Palm Beach County property tax calculator.
- Related: Florida property tax reset analysis, Palm Beach County homestead exemption, West Palm Beach market data.
Disclosure: Jon Brooks is a co-founder of Momentum Realty, a Florida real estate brokerage that owns and funds Florida Housing Intelligence. Momentum has a financial interest in Florida real estate transactions, including in markets named here. See our editorial standards.
Market statistics in this article are computed from MLS data licensed by Momentum Realty, and are current as of the date shown. Data may be preliminary and subject to revision by its source. This article is general information, not advice about any specific property, transaction, or financial decision, and is not a representation about any specific property, community, builder, or association.
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