The Property Tax Calculator is an interactive tool that allows users to compare the property tax data by year, city, regions, and population:
If you need additional data, contact Rachel Walker — see “Your LMC Resource” for contact information.
The data contained in the calculator represents only one way of looking at city finances and budgets. To compare tax rates and property tax levies, the annual property tax tables available on the League’s site are useful. For revenue and expenditure information, look to data from the Office of the State Auditor.
You can make comparisons over time for a given city to see the changes in taxes owed to the city and to all local jurisdictions. When doing so, keep in mind that home values fluctuate over time as well, so using different median or typical values for different years may be more accurate.
You can make comparisons between cities to see differences in taxes owed within different communities. Again, keep in mind that purchasing power varies widely across the state. While a $200,000 home may be very typical in one community and therefore generate a typical tax bill using the calculator, a $200,000 home may be the exception in another community.
It can be more accurate to use different home values for different communities, depending on what is typical in those communities. In other words, buyers may be able to get a three-bedroom house for $200,000 in one city but have to pay $400,000 for that same house in another community.
Estimated city property taxes.
Estimated city property taxes after market value homestead credit (MVHC) is applied. The MVHC program was in effect from 2002 to 2011. Beginning with taxes payable in 2012, MVHC was replaced with the homestead market value exclusion (HMVE).
Determined by population estimates for 2014 (the most recent year available). Population estimates come from the state demographer and the Metropolitan Council (for cities in the seven-county metro area).
Assessed market value of property.
Homestead: property classified as residential homestead
Business: property classified as commercial/industrial
The state is divided into 13 economic development regions.
Shows estimate of total tax. Property owners within cities pay property taxes to each local government: county, city, school district, and any special district(s).
Property tax calculator data is available from 1997 onward. For 2010, data for cities in Polk and Mower counties is preliminary.