Poway posted a median commercial property tax rate of 0.5% in fiscal year 2025, placing it as the third lowest among cities in San Diego County, according to BlockShopper.com.
The median rate for the county was 0.7% for that period, with Poway’s figure sitting 0.2 percentage points below the overall county median.
Buena also had a 0.7% median commercial property tax rate during that year in San Diego County.
Rates across the county’s 11 cities ranged from a low of 0.4% in Carlsbad to a high of 1.1% in Escondido.
Commercial property tax rates across 53 leading U.S. cities averaged 1.76% in 2024, according to research from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. That report estimates an annual property tax bill of approximately $21,060 for a $1 million property with $200,000 in fixtures. City rates varied, with some below 1% and others reaching up to 4%.
Differentiated tax classifications often mean higher effective rates for commercial, industrial, and apartment properties compared to residential properties in various states. In some municipalities, business property tax rates can be several times those of residential ones. Charleston, for instance, has a rate nearly six times higher for businesses.
| Rank | City | Tax Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Escondido | 1.1% |
| 2 | Santee | 1% |
| 3 | El Cajon | 0.8% |
| 4 | Encinitas | 0.7% |
| 4 | National City | 0.7% |
| 4 | La Mesa | 0.7% |
| 4 | San Diego | 0.7% |
| 8 | Oceanside | 0.6% |
| 9 | Buena | 0.5% |
| 9 | Poway | 0.5% |
| 11 | Carlsbad | 0.4% |
| Rank | Address | Tax Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12257 Old Pomerado Road | 0.5% |
| 1 | 13616 Poway Road | 0.5% |
Note: Some property addresses may not be fully available due to incomplete county assessor records.
The data included in this report originates from BlockShopper.com. Access the source data here.