Pierce County Sees Moderate Property Tax Increases For 2022

TACOMA, WA — Pierce County homeowners saw their property taxes go up once again this year, but county officials say the increase is not particularly dramatic, thanks to statutory limits on property tax rates which offset surging real estate costs.

“In recent years, tax bills fluctuated due to the State Legislature and local school districts responding to the McCleary court decision on school funding,” Assessor-Treasurer Mike Lonergan said. “Last year taxes settled down in most areas, and this year we see moderate increases in most parts of Pierce County, even a decrease in one area.”

All together, the 180,000 owners of residential or commercial land across Pierce County will be paying a total of $1.76 billion in property taxes this year. That's a 5.3 percent increase over 2020, according to the Pierce County Assessor - Treasurer's Office.

The greatest increases were seen in the Bethel and Franklin Pierce school districts, where the average homeowner saw taxes rise more than $450, or about 11 percent. The smallest increases were in Steilacoom, Milton, and Buckley, where property taxes increase about $100. Tacoma, Puyallup, Edgewood and Eatonville saw their tax bills go up an average of $300, Lakewood and Sumner saw theirs climb around $250, and Gig Harbor, Fife and DuPont increased about $200 a home, the treasurer's office said.

Orting was the only community that saw taxes decline, dropping by an average of $575 thanks to decreases in the local school construction bond and fire district levy.

Those increases may not seem "moderate" or "modest" to some home owners, but keep in mind they pale in comparison to some tax hikes in neighboring King County, where several cities saw property taxes climb over 15 percent this year.

One reason for the comparably smaller tax hike this year is that county voters didn't approve many new levies. In fact, no new local school levies or bonds were approved by the voters last year, though voters did approve levy lid lifts or renewed EMS levies in East Pierce County, Steilacoom, Key Peninsula, Ashford and Crystal Mountain. Any school levies that were approved in the recent election will not take effect until next year.

Up to 60.2 percent of Pierce County's property taxes go to local schools. 20.5 go to cities and the county, and 10.9 percent more go to fire districts and EMS services.

Property tax statements were mailed out starting Feb. 14. The first payment of the year is due May 2. The second half is due Oct. 31. Homeowners can also find their tax statements on the Assessor-Treasurer’s website.