Wisconsin Property Tax

The most common property tax assessed on Wisconsin residents is the real property tax, or their residential property tax. Wisconsin does not impose a property tax on vehicles, but does levy an annual registration fee.

Property taxes are the most important tax revenue source for Wisconsin's local governments, as well as major methods of funding school districts, vocational technical colleges, special purpose districts and tax incremental finance districts.  Equalized values are based on the full market value of all taxable property in the state, except for agricultural land. In order to provide property tax relief for farmers, the value of agricultural land is determined by its value for agriculture uses, rather than for its possible development value.

Equalized values are used to distribute state aid payments to counties, municipalities and technical colleges. Assessments prepared by local assessors are used to distribute the property tax burden within individual municipalities.

Wisconsin has two programs to help people with their property taxes:

Homestead Credit and the Property Tax Deferral Loan Program.

The loan program is operated by Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) and provides loans to qualifying elderly homeowners to help pay for property taxes. Details can be obtained by calling WHEDA toll-free at (800) 755-7835. 

The homestead credit program is designed to soften the impact of property taxes and rent on persons with lower incomes. The benefit available may take the form of an income tax credit or a direct refund. The credit is based on the relationship of your household income to the amount of your allowable property taxes and/or rent for the calendar year.

Homestead -- Your homestead is the Wisconsin home you occupy, whether you own it or rent it, and up to one acre of land adjoining it (or up to 120 acres of land if the homestead is part of a farm). For example, it may be a house, an apartment, a rented room, a mobile home, a farm, or a nursing home room. Unless your homestead is part of a farm, it does not include any part which is rented to others, used for business purposes, or a separate unit occupied by others rent free.

Farm -- Your homestead is part of a farm if the property was used for agricultural purposes either during 2006 or prior to 2006 and it has not been used since then for other purposes (such as recreational or manufacturing).

Household -- If you are single, you are considered a household, whether you live alone or with others. If you are married, you and your spouse are considered a household if you live together. If you are married but you and your spouse maintained separate homes on December 31, 2006, you are each considered a separate household.