Ohio property tax rates are quoted in mills , and a Columbus bill shows two very different numbers: the voted rate and the much lower effective rate you actually pay on a home [1][3]. Here are the 2025 rates used on 2026 bills for Franklin County taxing district 010, the City of Columbus inside Columbus City Schools, from the Treasurer’s published rate sheet [1].
At a glance
- Voted (full) rate, district 010
- 115.89 mills [1]
- Effective rate on homes
- 49.775275 mills [1]
- Taxable value
- 35% of the Auditor's appraised value [2]
- Credits on homes, district 010
- Non-business 7.645%; owner-occupancy 1.9112% [1]
- Per $100,000 of value
- About $1,576 a year (our math) [1][2]
- New rates
- Sent to the Auditor in mid-December [4]
The rates on a district 010 bill
| Rate sheet column | Mills |
|---|---|
| Columbus State | 0.32 |
| Library and special | 4.30 |
| Franklin County | 20.37 |
| Township | 0.00 |
| School district (Columbus City Schools) | 87.76 |
| City (Columbus) | 3.14 |
| Vocational school | 0.00 |
| Total voted rate | 115.89 |
Columbus City Schools is about three-quarters of the voted total (our math). The City of Columbus’s own column is 3.14 mills [1].
Voted rate vs. effective rate
The voted rate is everything voters have approved, including the 10 mills of unvoted tax the Ohio Constitution allows [3]. The effective rate is what’s left after Ohio’s tax reduction factor , which shrinks voted levies as property values rise during reappraisals so owners aren’t hit with increases nobody voted on [3]. For homes in district 010, the reduction factor is 0.570496, which cuts the 115.89 voted mills to 49.775275 effective mills [1].
Business and other property have a different, higher effective rate: 74.981315 mills in district 010 [1].
What a Columbus home pays
All Ohio owners pay tax on 35% of the Auditor’s appraised value; that’s multiplied by the effective rate [2]. Then two credits on the rate sheet come off the bill for an owner-occupied home in district 010: a non-business credit of 0.07645 (7.645%) and an owner-occupancy credit of 0.019112 (1.9112%) [1].
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Appraised value | $300,000 |
| Taxable value (35%) | $105,000 |
| Tax at 49.775275 effective mills | $5,226.40 |
| Non-business credit (7.645%) | −$399.56 |
| Owner-occupancy credit (1.9112%) | −$99.89 |
| Estimated yearly tax | $4,726.95 |
A qualifying senior, disabled owner or disabled veteran also gets the homestead exemption, worth an estimated $457 a year in district 010 [5]. See our Columbus homestead exemption guide.
Columbus isn’t one rate
The City of Columbus spreads across many school districts and townships, and each combination is its own taxing district with its own rates [1]. A few Columbus districts, at 2025 rates:
| District | Voted mills | Effective mills (homes) | Per $100,000 of value (our math) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 010 Columbus, Columbus City Schools | 115.89 | 49.775275 | $1,576 |
| 530 Columbus-Groveport Madison LSD | 90.70 | 47.851915 | $1,499 |
| 545 Columbus-Plain LSD | 104.84 | 60.942524 | $1,904 |
| 560 Columbus-Hilliard CSD | 127.78 | 62.401732 | $1,973 |
| 570 Columbus-Southwestern CSD | 95.53 | 41.111620 | $1,275 |
| 590 Columbus-Dublin CSD | 129.78 | 64.796226 | $2,062 |
| 600 Columbus-Westerville CSD | 108.51 | 55.896002 | $1,744 |
| 610 Columbus-Worthington CSD | 147.07 | 69.340803 | $2,216 |
Your district number and name are on your tax bill and in the Auditor’s property search.
When rates change
The Auditor says the State of Ohio sets each district’s rates and sends them to the Auditor in mid-December each year [4], so the rates for bills paid in 2027 weren’t out when we checked. We’ll update this page when they are. Franklin County is also doing its 2026 triennial update, which resets values using 2023 to 2025 sales [2]. If you think the Auditor’s value for your home is wrong, you can file a complaint with the Franklin County Board of Revision [2].
For when the bill is due and how to pay it, see Franklin County property tax due dates. For Ohio’s statewide credits and the 2025 changes, see BestOhio’s Ohio homestead exemption and property tax relief guide.
Sources
- Franklin County Treasurer: 2025 Property Tax Rates for 2026
- Franklin County Auditor: Appraisal (35% of appraised value; 2026 triennial update; Board of Revision)
- Franklin County Treasurer: Tax Estimator (voted and effective rates)
- Franklin County Auditor: Property Tax Rates
- Franklin County Auditor: 2025 Homestead Exemption Estimated Reduction Schedule
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What is the property tax rate in Columbus, Ohio?
For a home in the City of Columbus and Columbus City Schools (Franklin County taxing district 010), the 2025 rates on 2026 bills total 115.89 mills voted, but the effective rate on homes is 49.775275 mills after Ohio's tax reduction factor. Columbus City Schools is 87.76 of the voted mills; the city's own rate is 3.14.
How much property tax do you pay on a $300,000 house in Columbus?
Roughly $4,727 a year in district 010 at 2025 rates, by our math: $300,000 times 35% is $105,000 of taxable value; times 49.775275 mills is about $5,226; the non-business and owner-occupancy credits listed for the district take off about $499. Other Columbus districts pay more or less, and special assessments are extra.
What does a mill mean on an Ohio tax bill?
One mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value. In Ohio, taxable value is 35% of the Auditor's appraised value, so 1 mill costs $0.35 a year for every $1,000 your home is worth.
When are new Franklin County tax rates released?
The Franklin County Auditor says the State of Ohio sets each district's rates and sends them to the Auditor in mid-December each year. The rates on this page are the 2025 rates used on bills paid in 2026.