The property tax rate in Olympia, WA generally runs between about $10 and $13 per $1,000 of assessed value, depending on which overlapping taxing districts and fire district cover your parcel. For the 2026 collection year, the Thurston County Treasurer’s published rates for the major districts serving Olympia add up to roughly $11.25 per $1,000 before the fire district levy is layered on top.1Thurston County. Tax Rates On a home assessed at $400,000, that works out to somewhere between $4,000 and $5,200 a year. The exact figure comes down to location.
What Makes Up the 2026 Rate
Washington runs a budget-based property tax system. Each taxing district decides the dollar amount it needs, and the county assessor divides that amount by the total assessed value in the district to produce a rate per $1,000.2MRSC. Property Tax Basics A property inside Olympia city limits sits inside a stack of these districts, and their rates add together on your tax statement.
For 2026, Thurston County publishes these rates per $1,000 of taxable value for the districts that typically overlap an Olympia parcel:1Thurston County. Tax Rates
- State Schools: $1.40
- State Schools 2: $0.75
- Thurston County Current Expense: $0.81
- Thurston County Road Fund: $0.71
- Thurston County Conservation Futures: $0.03
- City of Olympia: $1.92
- Olympia School District #111: $4.45
- Medic One: $0.35
- Olympia Metropolitan Park District: $0.48
- Port of Olympia: $0.12
- PUD #1: $0.01
- Timberland Regional Library: $0.22
Those pieces add to about $11.25. Fire district levies then layer on top and vary by neighborhood. Properties served by Fire District #9 (McLane/Black Lake), for example, add another $2.36, which pushes the total closer to $13.61 per $1,000.1Thurston County. Tax Rates The Olympia School District levy is almost always the single biggest component, which is worth keeping in mind when school levies appear on the ballot.
How Your Bill Is Calculated
Your bill starts with the Thurston County Assessor setting an assessed value for your property, updated annually to reflect current market conditions.3Thurston County. Assessor Take that value, divide by 1,000, and multiply by the combined levy rate. On a home assessed at $450,000 with a combined rate of $11.50, the annual bill works out to $5,175.
You can look up your own assessed value and levy rate history on the Assessor’s online parcel search, using your address or 11-digit parcel number from your tax statement.4Thurston County, Washington. Thurston County Assessor’s A+ Parcel Look-Up System
Why Rates Shift Each Year
State law caps how fast any district’s regular levy revenue can grow. Under RCW 84.55.010, the total a district collects from regular property taxes cannot rise more than 1% over the prior year, plus revenue from new construction.5Washington State Legislature. RCW 84.55.010 – Limitations Prescribed This caps the district, not your bill. If home values across Olympia jump 8% but the district can only grow revenue 1%, the rate per $1,000 drops to balance the math. Your bill may still rise because your assessed value is higher, but it will not rise in proportion to the market.
Regular levies sit under a constitutional ceiling of 1% of true and fair value, or effectively $10 per $1,000 combined. Voter-approved excess levies, usually for school construction, emergency services, or capital projects, can push the total above that line.6Washington State Legislature. RCW 84.52.043 – Limitation of Regular Property Tax Levies That is why Olympia’s combined rate routinely clears $10.
Payment Deadlines
Thurston County splits the annual bill in half. The first installment is due April 30, the second October 31.7Thurston County. Frequently Asked Questions About Property Taxes If your total annual tax is under $50, the full amount is due April 30.8Washington State Department of Revenue. Property Tax Calendar Due Dates
The Treasurer accepts several payment methods:9Thurston County. 2024 1st Half Property Taxes Due April 30
- Online through the Treasurer’s website. E-check is free; credit cards carry a 2.35% fee and Visa debit cards a $3.95 flat fee.
- Mail to the Thurston County Treasurer at 3000 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501. Payments must be postmarked by the deadline, and the Treasurer warns that Olympia mail routes through Tacoma for processing, so last-day mailing is risky.
- Drop box near the flag poles at the Treasurer’s office.
- In person at the Treasurer’s office.
One detail trips people up: the Treasurer does not accept partial payments on current-year taxes. Send less than the full half due and the payment comes back.10Thurston County, Washington. Frequently Asked Questions About Property Taxes After October 31, the full remaining balance is due. Payment plans only apply to delinquent taxes from prior years.
What Late Payment Costs
Miss April 30 and the entire year’s tax becomes delinquent, with interest accruing on the full annual amount.7Thurston County. Frequently Asked Questions About Property Taxes Interest hits on the first of each month and is not prorated, so being a day late costs a full month.
Two one-time penalties pile on top: 3% added June 1, and another 8% added December 1.7Thurston County. Frequently Asked Questions About Property Taxes Interest keeps running monthly as long as the balance sits. For residential properties of four units or fewer, the interest rate is 9% annually (0.75% per month). Larger residential and non-residential properties face 12% annually (1% per month).8Washington State Department of Revenue. Property Tax Calendar Due Dates
If taxes stay unpaid for three years, the treasurer must issue a certificate of delinquency and begin foreclosure.11Washington State Legislature. RCW 84.64.050 An owner can stop the sale by paying all outstanding taxes, interest, penalties, and costs up through the day before.
Appealing Your Assessed Value
If the assessor’s number looks too high, you can appeal to the Thurston County Board of Equalization. The filing deadline is the later of July 1 of the assessment year or 60 days after the assessor mailed your valuation notice.12Thurston County, Washington. The Appeal Process For most homeowners, the 60-day window is the one that matters, since notices usually go out well before July.
You need a completed petition with a hand-written signature and a copy of the front page of your valuation notice. The Board does not accept electronic or emailed submissions. Mail by USPS (postmarked by the deadline), send by FedEx or UPS, or deliver in person to 3000 Pacific Ave SE in Olympia.13Thurston County. Assessment Appeals (2025) One petition per parcel.
The appeal has to rest on market evidence. Recent sales of comparable properties, an independent appraisal, or photographs of conditions the assessor did not account for (structural damage, deferred maintenance) carry the most weight. Sales closest to January 1 of the assessment year count the most. A general sense that the value feels too high will not move the Board.
Exemptions and Deferrals That Lower the Bill
Washington runs a few programs that can cut or postpone the tax for qualifying homeowners. The income thresholds are more generous than many assume, so they are worth checking.
Senior and Disabled Persons Exemption
If you are at least 61 by December 31 of the filing year, or retired due to disability, you may qualify for an exemption on your primary residence.14Washington State Legislature. RCW 84.36.381 Veterans with a VA disability rating of 40% or higher also qualify regardless of age, and surviving spouses of participants can qualify at 57 or older.
The exemption is tiered by combined disposable household income. For Thurston County in tax years 2024 through 2026:15Washington Department of Revenue. Income Thresholds Tax Years 2024-2026
- Income of $42,000 or less: exempt from all excess levies and the state portion, with a frozen assessed value.
- Income of $51,000 or less: exempt from all excess levies and part of regular levies.
- Income of $59,000 or less: exempt from all excess levies.
Medicare premiums, supplemental insurance, out-of-pocket prescriptions, and in-home care expenses can be deducted when figuring your qualifying income. You have to own and occupy the home as your primary residence for at least six months each year.
Deferral for Limited-Income Homeowners
If your income is above the exemption thresholds but the bill is still a strain, the deferral program lets the state pay your taxes and place a lien on the property. You repay the deferred amount with interest when you sell or stop using the home as your primary residence.16Washington Department of Revenue. Property Tax Exemptions and Deferrals
For 2026, the combined disposable income limit is roughly $57,000, and you must have owned the home more than five years before applying. The deferred total cannot exceed 40% of your equity, and you have to carry fire and casualty insurance naming the Department of Revenue as a loss payee. The application deadline is September 1 of the tax year. Interest tracks the federal short-term rate plus 2% and changes annually.16Washington Department of Revenue. Property Tax Exemptions and Deferrals