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Key takeaways
- Oregon property tax averages about 0.94% of market value statewide ($9.40 per $1,000, 2025-26), from about 0.70% in Deschutes County to about 1.17% in Multnomah County.
- Tax is based on assessed value, which grows at most 3% a year and does not reset when the home is sold.
- There is no state transfer tax, only a grandfathered $1 per $1,000 in Washington County.
- OHCS NextStep offers down payment assistance of 4% or 5% of the first mortgage, with a 620 minimum credit score and county income limits.
What this Oregon mortgage calculator does
It is the full monthly-cost calculator, loaded with Oregon assumptions: a 0.94% property tax rate and $1,705 a year for insurance. You get principal and interest, property tax, insurance, PMI when your down payment is under 20%, and HOA dues, plus a payoff schedule and the effect of extra payments. Every figure is editable, so it works for a Portland suburb, a Willamette Valley town or a Central Oregon home.
How it works for Oregon buyers
Enter the price, down payment, rate and term. The tax field starts at the statewide average, but the best number to use is the home’s own annual property tax from its current tax statement, divided by the price. Because Oregon taxes assessed value, that figure can be well below or above the average. Insurance quotes also vary by location. Copy the link to share your result.
How Oregon property tax is calculated
The formula is assessed value × combined tax rate ÷ 1,000. Assessed value is the lower of the home’s real market value and its maximum assessed value, which Measure 50 lets grow by no more than 3% a year. The combined rate is the sum of the rates of every district serving the home, and Measure 5 separately limits total tax to $15 per $1,000 of real market value ($5 for schools and $10 for general government). The Department of Revenue’s 2025-26 average was $17.52 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Worked example: $475,000 home, 20% down, 6.5%
The $380,000 loan has principal and interest of $2,401.86. At the statewide 0.94%, property tax is $4,465 a year, or $372.08 a month. With $1,705 a year for insurance ($142.08 a month), the payment is $2,916.03.
Moving the tax rate from 0.70% to 1.17% changes the payment by about $186 a month. Two homes at the same price and the same $17.52 rate can differ more: with an assessed value of $255,000 the tax is $4,468 a year, and with an assessed value of $400,000 it is $7,008, about $212 a month more. That is why the home’s own tax statement matters more than any average. This example uses illustrative assumptions, not a quote.
Why assessed value matters when buying
In Oregon, the assessed value stays with the property, so an older home usually carries an assessed value well below its price. New construction has no Measure 50 history, so its assessed value starts closer to market value and its tax is often higher than a similar older home. A veteran or active-duty exemption can also roll off at sale and trigger a recalculation. Ask the seller or agent for the current tax statement, and ask your lender whether any exemption will end when you buy.
More to know about buying in Oregon
Compare assistance programs early
OHCS NextStep and the Oregon Bond Residential Loan Program have different rules, and the bond program has a recapture fee in some cases if you sell within nine years and your income has risen above the limit. Run the loan types through the FHA, VA and USDA calculators, and see what you can buy with the affordability calculator.
Plan for the November payment
Most buyers pay property tax through escrow, but you should know the due dates and the early-payment discounts, which apply if you pay directly.
Insurance and wildfire
Premiums are low on average but can be several times higher in wildfire-exposed areas, and standard policies exclude earthquake damage. Get insurance quotes before you finalize an offer in forested or high-desert areas.
Estimate only. Tax rates, programs and insurance prices change, and this page is not tax or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average property tax rate in Oregon?
The Oregon Department of Revenue reports that for 2025-26 property taxes averaged $17.52 per $1,000 of assessed value and $9.40 per $1,000 of real market value, which is about 0.94% of market value statewide. By county, the average runs from roughly 0.70% in Deschutes County to about 1.17% in Multnomah County. The calculator starts at 0.94%, so replace it with the figure for the home you are buying.
How does Measure 50 change what I pay?
Oregon taxes assessed value, not market value. Assessed value is the lower of the real market value and a maximum assessed value that can grow by only 3% a year. On many homes the assessed value is well below the market value, so the tax bill is lower than a simple percentage of the price would suggest. Your tax is then the assessed value times the combined rate for your tax code area.
Does my assessed value reset to the purchase price when I buy?
No. In Oregon, a sale does not reset the maximum assessed value, so the buyer generally inherits the property’s existing assessed value, unlike California. There are exceptions, including new construction, major remodeling and rezoning, and the loss of an exemption such as a veteran or active-duty exemption, which can trigger a recalculation. Ask for the current tax statement before you make an offer.
When are Oregon property taxes due?
Statements are mailed in October for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Taxes are due November 15. Paying in full by then earns a 3% discount, paying two-thirds earns a 2% discount on that amount, or you can pay in thirds on November 15, February 15 and May 15 with no discount. Most buyers with a mortgage pay through escrow.
Does Oregon charge a transfer tax?
There is no state transfer tax and Oregon law bars new local ones. The one exception is Washington County, whose long-standing transfer tax is $1 per $1,000 of the sale price, often split between buyer and seller.
Does Oregon offer down payment assistance?
Yes. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) offers its NextStep product, which pairs a mortgage with down payment assistance of 4% or 5% of the first mortgage as a second loan, usable for the down payment, closing costs and prepaid items, with credit scores as low as 620 and county income limits. OHCS also runs the Oregon Bond Residential Loan Program with income and purchase price limits. Terms change, so confirm them with OHCS or an OHCS-approved lender.
How much is homeowners insurance in Oregon?
Statewide averages are among the lowest in the country, roughly $1,100 to $1,700 a year depending on the source, with the state insurance regulator reporting about $1,092 for 2022. Wildfire-exposed areas can cost far more, and some insurers have limited new policies there. The calculator uses $1,705, a 2026 NerdWallet average. Get quotes for the address, and ask about earthquake coverage, which standard policies exclude.
Is there property tax relief for Oregon homeowners?
Oregon has no general homestead exemption. A Senior and Disabled Property Tax Deferral program lets eligible owners have the state pay the county, secured by a lien, and partial assessed-value exemptions exist for some disabled veterans and active-duty military. Eligibility rules and amounts change, so confirm them with the Department of Revenue or your county assessor.