In the first quarter of 2026, property owners in San Diego County paid 0.7% of the value of their homes in property taxes, less than 0.8 times the national average, according to BlockShopper.com.
The median sales price of a San Diego County home in the first quarter of 2026 was $872,500, based on data from the 697 properties sold during that time. In 2026, the median tax bill for the county was $6,155, which is 0.7% of the median value of the homes that were taxed.
The average effective property tax rate in the U.S. was 0.888% in 2024.
The analysis of San Diego County real estate data showed homeowners in Imperial Beach, Julian, and Hidden Meadows paid the highest rates.
The above article calculates the effective property tax rate for 2026 using estimated inflation values and 2024 tax data provided by the county. In some cases, the actual effective property tax rate may vary slightly.
U.S. home prices continued to rise in 2025, with the national median reaching about $447,000 in June. That’s up 1.13% from a year earlier, according to Redfin. The data also show a significant gap in supply and demand, with 36% more sellers than buyers (a difference of 508,715 homes). By Redfin’s definition, a balanced market has seller and buyer numbers within 10% of each other.
The following table compares Imperial Beach with some other cities belonging to San Diego County by their median effective property tax rate, calculated using sales and property tax data from the first quarter of 2026.
| City | Q1 2026 Sales | Q1 2026 Median Price | Median tax 2026 | Effective tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial Beach | 3 | $388,000 | $5,702 | 1.5% |
| Julian | 3 | $275,000 | $3,731 | 1.4% |
| Hidden Meadows | 2 | $855,000 | $9,078 | 1.1% |
| Spring Valley | 8 | $585,000 | $5,606 | 1% |
| San Marcos | 13 | $829,000 | $7,214 | 0.9% |
| Lakeside | 4 | $652,000 | $5,730 | 0.9% |
| Borrego Springs | 4 | $297,250 | $2,613 | 0.9% |
| San Diego Country Estates | 9 | $780,000 | $6,768 | 0.9% |
| El Cajon | 27 | $732,500 | $5,702 | 0.8% |
| La Mesa | 12 | $670,000 | $5,449 | 0.8% |
| Valley Center | 6 | $926,750 | $7,175 | 0.8% |
| La Presa | 4 | $644,500 | $4,922 | 0.8% |
| Winter Gardens | 5 | $643,000 | $5,251 | 0.8% |
| Jamul | 4 | $1,036,500 | $7,789 | 0.8% |
| Alpine | 3 | $930,000 | $7,021 | 0.8% |
| Lemon Grove | 3 | $770,000 | $5,209 | 0.7% |
| Fallbrook | 7 | $809,000 | $6,033 | 0.7% |
| Bostonia | 2 | $700,000 | $5,215 | 0.7% |
| Chula Vista | 44 | $859,000 | $6,369 | 0.7% |
| National City | 3 | $625,000 | $4,097 | 0.7% |
| Santee | 10 | $720,000 | $5,088 | 0.7% |
| Fairbanks Ranch | 2 | $4,750,000 | $34,360 | 0.7% |
| Escondido | 39 | $750,000 | $5,501 | 0.7% |
| Campo | 3 | $520,000 | $3,603 | 0.7% |
| Harbison Canyon | 2 | $935,000 | $6,493 | 0.7% |
| Ramona | 5 | $809,000 | $6,059 | 0.7% |
| San Diego | 304 | $950,000 | $6,135 | 0.6% |
| Vista | 17 | $890,000 | $5,748 | 0.6% |
| Oceanside | 66 | $764,500 | $4,940 | 0.6% |
| Rancho Santa Fe | 4 | $4,450,000 | $27,003 | 0.6% |
| Poway | 9 | $1,280,000 | $7,328 | 0.6% |
| Carlsbad | 33 | $1,565,000 | $8,396 | 0.5% |
| Bonsall | 2 | $1,262,500 | $6,519 | 0.5% |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | 3 | $1,400,000 | $7,163 | 0.5% |
| Rancho San Diego | 7 | $1,315,000 | $6,575 | 0.5% |
| Bonita | 2 | $1,433,500 | $6,824 | 0.5% |
| Coronado | 3 | $2,327,000 | $12,523 | 0.5% |
| Solana Beach | 3 | $2,900,000 | $10,394 | 0.4% |
| Lake San Marcos | 4 | $1,490,000 | $5,823 | 0.4% |
| Granite Hills | 3 | $1,850,000 | $6,923 | 0.4% |
| Encinitas | 7 | $2,580,000 | $8,684 | 0.3% |
Information in this article was obtained from BlockShopper.com. The source data can be found here.