The Stratford CT property tax rate for fiscal year 2026–27 is 37.73 mills on real estate and personal property and 32.46 mills on motor vehicles. Both rates apply to an assessed value equal to 70 percent of fair market value, not the full market price of your home or car.1Justia. Connecticut Code 12-62a – Uniform Assessment Date and Rate The real estate rate dropped from 40.20 mills last year after a town-wide revaluation raised assessed values across the board.2Town of Stratford. Tax Assessor
Current Mill Rate and What Changed
A mill equals one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.3State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. Mill Rates The Town Council lowered the real estate and personal property rate to 37.73 mills after Stratford completed a full revaluation of all real property effective October 1, 2025.2Town of Stratford. Tax Assessor The reduction was designed to offset the higher assessed values so the overall tax levy wouldn’t spike purely because of new numbers.
That doesn’t mean every bill went down. A lower mill rate applied to a higher assessed value can still produce a higher bill for any individual property that appreciated faster than the town average. Check your new assessment rather than watching the mill rate alone.
Motor vehicles follow a separate rule. State law caps the motor vehicle mill rate at 32.46 mills when that cap is lower than the town’s real estate rate.4Justia. Connecticut Code 12-71e – Motor Vehicle Mill Rate Stratford’s 37.73 mills on real estate exceeds the cap, so vehicles are taxed at 32.46.
How to Calculate Your Tax Bill
Take your property’s fair market value, multiply by 0.70 to get the assessed value, then multiply by the mill rate and divide by 1,000.3State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. Mill Rates
For a home with a fair market value of $400,000 after the 2025 revaluation:
- Assessed value: $400,000 × 0.70 = $280,000
- Annual tax: $280,000 × 37.73 ÷ 1,000 = $10,564.40
A $20,000 vehicle would be assessed at $14,000 and taxed at 32.46 mills, for an annual bill of $454.44. Run the numbers against your assessment notice before you pay. Errors in the assessed value are the most common source of overpayment.
When Taxes Are Due
Real estate and personal property taxes are split into two installments: one due July 1, the second due January 1.5Town of Stratford. Tax Collector’s Office Supplemental motor vehicle bills for vehicles registered after October 1 are due in full on January 1.
You can pay online through the town’s payment portal by credit card, debit card, or electronic check, each with its own convenience fee.6Town of Stratford. Tax Bills Search and Pay If you need a DMV clearance quickly, pay in person at the Tax Collector’s office with cash, cashier’s check, or money order. Online payments take at least 10 days to clear with the DMV.
What Happens If You Pay Late
State law gives you a one-month grace period after each due date.7State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. Statutes Governing Property Assessment and Taxation The July 1 installment stays penalty-free until August 1, and the January 1 installment until early February.5Town of Stratford. Tax Collector’s Office
Miss that window and interest runs at 1.5 percent per month, calculated from the original due date rather than the day the grace period ended.8Justia. Connecticut Code 12-145 – Notice to Pay Taxes Any fraction of a month counts as a full month. A July 1 tax paid on August 2 owes 3 percent interest, not 1.5. Over a full year that reaches 18 percent, and long-term nonpayment can eventually lead to a tax sale of the property.9Justia. Connecticut Code 12-157 – Method of Selling Real Estate for Taxes
Exemptions and Credits That Reduce Your Bill
Stratford offers several relief programs, but none apply automatically. Each has its own deadline and paperwork.
Veterans
Honorably discharged veterans receive a base exemption of $1,000 off assessed value. Veterans with a VA disability rating get a graduated additional reduction, from $2,000 at a 10–25 percent rating up to $3,500 at ratings above 75 percent or for veterans who are 65 or older. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities such as paraplegia or loss of multiple limbs can qualify for up to $10,000 off their home’s assessed value.10Justia. Connecticut Code 12-81 – Exemptions File DD-214 discharge paperwork with the Town Clerk by September 30 for the basic exemption. Additional veteran exemptions have a separate filing window from February 1 through September 30.11Town of Stratford. Exemptions
Blind and Disabled Residents
Legally blind residents receive a $3,000 exemption on assessed value, and the exemption can apply against a spouse’s property if the blind individual doesn’t own enough property in their own name.10Justia. Connecticut Code 12-81 – Exemptions Applications for blind and disabled exemptions are due by January 31.11Town of Stratford. Exemptions
Elderly and Disabled Homeowners (Circuit Breaker)
Connecticut’s Circuit Breaker program provides a property tax credit for homeowners who are 65 or older or totally disabled. The maximum credit is $1,250 for married couples and $1,000 for single applicants, calculated on a graduated income scale. Income limits are $56,500 for married applicants and $46,300 for single applicants, counting all income including Social Security. Apply at the Assessor’s Office between February 1 and May 15, then reapply every two years.12State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. Homeowners – Elderly/Disabled (Circuit Breaker) Tax Relief Program
Appealing Your Assessment
If your assessed value looks too high, file a written appeal with the Stratford Board of Assessment Appeals by February 20 of the year following the assessment. Include your name, a description of the property, your estimate of value, the reason for the disagreement, and supporting documents such as a recent appraisal or comparable sales.13Town of Stratford. Board of Assessment Appeals
This matters most in a revaluation year. The 2025 revaluation updated every property’s value, and some homeowners will see increases that outpace the market. The Board can reduce your assessment if you show the town’s figure exceeds actual market value.
If the Board denies your appeal, you can take the case to Superior Court within one year of the assessment date. The court has authority to grant relief if it finds the assessment was “manifestly excessive” and could not have been reached by following proper valuation methods.14Justia. Connecticut Code 12-119 – Remedy When Property Wrongfully Assessed Court appeals involve legal costs and take longer, so most homeowners resolve disputes at the Board level.