Cap Rate Guide: What It Is, How to Calculate It, and What Counts as Good
A practical guide to capitalization rates for rental property investors — building an honest NOI, reading the market, and the traps in seller math.
Read articleOften the second-largest cost of owning — and the one that quietly changes every year.
Your county assessor publishes local rates
Annual Property Tax
$3,850
Based on the rate applied to the value you enter. Some jurisdictions tax assessed value rather than market value — check how your local rate is applied.
Effective property tax rates in the US range from under 0.3% to over 2% depending on the state and county. Your county assessor publishes the official rate — or divide last year's tax bill by the property's value for your effective rate. Be careful about which value the rate applies to: many jurisdictions tax an assessed value that sits below market value or is capped from rising quickly.
Most lenders collect property tax monthly through escrow, so the monthly figure above is what actually lands in your housing payment — add it to the principal and interest from the Mortgage Calculator for a fuller picture. If you're evaluating a rental, taxes are one of the biggest items separating gross from net returns: start from the Rental Yield Calculator.
Your county assessor or tax collector publishes local rates. You can also divide last year’s tax bill by the property’s assessed value to get your effective rate.
Usually not. Many jurisdictions assess homes at a fraction of market value or cap annual increases. Check whether your local rate applies to assessed or market value before estimating.
Yes. Reassessments, local levies, and school district votes can all change your bill year to year. Budget some margin above the current estimate.
Estimate your monthly payment, total interest, and total cost of a home loan.
Open calculatorEstimate the fees due at closing, typically 2–5% of the home price.
Open calculatorMeasure gross rental yield from purchase price and annual rent income.
Open calculatorSeven free calculators for every step of buying, renting, and investing.
Explore Calculators