NE Seattle property taxes come down to one multiplication: your assessed value times the levy rate for your levy code. For 2026, the King County Assessor's levy book puts every Seattle levy code inside the Seattle School District at $9.90845 per $1,000 of assessed value. That covers every house, townhome and condo in Maple Leaf, Northgate, Pinehurst, Roosevelt, Wedgwood, Ravenna, Ravenna-Bryant and View Ridge. Same rate on every block. What changes from one house to the next is the value the rate is multiplied by.

That sounds simple, and the arithmetic is. The confusing parts are everything around it: why the rate moves every year, why your bill can climb even when voters did not approve anything new, and why the number a buyer should plan around is not the one in the listing. This page walks through all of it with the 2026 figures, checked at the source.

One rule before we start. We are real estate brokers, not tax professionals. Everything below is general information from the King County Assessor's published 2026 levy reports and the Revised Code of Washington, checked on September 30, 2026. It is arithmetic, not advice. Questions about your own bill go to the Assessor's office, and anything touching your taxes more broadly goes to a CPA.

NE Seattle property taxes in five lines

• 2026 Seattle levy rate: $9.90845 per $1,000 of assessed value (King County Assessor, 2026 Codes and Levies, dated February 19, 2026).

• 2025 rate, for comparison: $9.19418. The same assessed value paid about 7.8% more in 2026.

• Arithmetic at three values: $700,000 assessed is about $6,936 a year, $1,000,000 is about $9,908, and $1,300,000 is about $12,881, before any flat per-parcel charges.

• Your bill follows assessed value, not purchase price. Buying a house does not reset its bill to what you paid.

• Due dates: first half by April 30, second half by October 31. The second half of 2026 is due in a month.

How NE Seattle Property Taxes Are Calculated

The Assessor's own shorthand is "value x levy rate = taxes." Levy rates are quoted per $1,000 of assessed value, so the math is:

Assessed value ÷ 1,000 × levy rate = annual tax.

Two inputs, and they come from two different places.

• Assessed value is set by the King County Assessor. Washington law requires real property to be listed and assessed every year, with reference to its value on January 1 of the assessment year (RCW 84.40.020). The value you are billed on in 2026 is the one the Assessor set in 2025, the number on the value notice that arrived the year before.

• The levy rate is not set by anyone directly. It is the result of every taxing district's approved levy divided by the total assessed value in that district. Each parcel carries a levy code that tells the county which combination of districts it sits in: the state, the county, the city, the school district, the port, and a handful of special districts.

In most of King County, levy codes produce different rates depending on the fire district, the water district or the school district a parcel falls in. Inside Seattle it is much simpler. The 2026 levy book lists Seattle codes 0010, 0011, 0013, 0014, 0016 and 0025, all inside Seattle Public Schools, and every one of them carries the same $9.90845. The only Seattle codes with a different rate are two that fall in the Highline School District, well south of anything we cover. You can confirm your own code on your parcel's page in the Assessor's eReal Property search.

Where the 2026 NE Seattle Property Taxes Go

Here is how the $9.90845 breaks down, from the Assessor's 2026 Codes and Levies book, with the dollars each piece takes from a home assessed at exactly $1,000,000:

• City of Seattle, $3.01677 per $1,000, about $3,017. Of that, $1.03168 is the city's regular levy, $1.93197 is voter-approved lid lifts, and $0.05312 is bonds.

• State school levy, $2.24959 per $1,000, about $2,250. Two parts: $1.46154 and $0.78805.

• Seattle Public Schools, $2.15308 per $1,000, about $2,153. $0.73843 for the education and operations levy and $1.41465 for capital projects, both voter-approved.

• King County, $1.45642 per $1,000, about $1,456. This includes the county's regular levy, its voter-approved lid lifts for parks, veterans and seniors, crisis care centers and the county's children and youth levy, plus the county hospital levy and a few smaller pieces.

• Seattle Metropolitan Park District, $0.42999 per $1,000, about $430.

• Emergency Medical Services, $0.25098 per $1,000, about $251.

• Sound Transit, $0.15866 per $1,000, about $159.

• Port of Seattle, $0.09877 per $1,000, about $99.

• King County Flood Control District, $0.09419 per $1,000, about $94.

Add those up and you land on $9,908.45. The point of the list is not the pennies. It is that roughly a third of the bill is the city, a little over two fifths is schools (state plus district), and a large share across every line is money voters approved directly. When you hear that NE Seattle property taxes went up because of a ballot measure, this is where to look.

What NE Seattle Property Taxes Look Like at $700K, $1M and $1.3M

The plain arithmetic at the 2026 rate, before any flat charges on the statement:

• $700,000 assessed: 700 × $9.90845 = $6,935.92 a year, about $578 a month.

• $1,000,000 assessed: 1,000 × $9.90845 = $9,908.45 a year, about $826 a month.

• $1,300,000 assessed: 1,300 × $9.90845 = $12,880.99 a year, about $1,073 a month.

Those three values are round numbers, not neighborhood averages. For a sense of where NE Seattle sale prices actually sit right now, our Pinehurst home prices and View Ridge home prices reads cover both ends of our area. Just remember that a sale price and an assessed value are two different numbers, set at two different times.

Your actual statement can also carry flat per-parcel charges that are not part of the levy rate at all. Those show up as separate lines, so a bill will rarely match the rate arithmetic to the penny. The Assessor's parcel page and your tax statement are the final word.

Why NE Seattle Property Taxes Rose in 2026

In 2025, the Seattle rate was $9.19418. In 2026 it is $9.90845, an increase of $0.71427 per $1,000. On a house whose assessed value did not change at all, that is about $714 more on a $1,000,000 value.

The Assessor's 2026 summary is direct about the cause. Total property taxes in King County rose about 10%, to $8.4 billion, while total county property value rose about 5.4%. In the Assessor's words, voter-approved measures, "and not increasing property values, are responsible for increases in property taxes" for the most part. The measures the Assessor lists as passed for 2026 include several that reach every NE Seattle parcel:

• City of Seattle: a six-year renewal lid lift for the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise levy, listed at $0.72 per $1,000, and a ten-year lid lift for the I-122 election voucher program, listed at $0.015.

• Seattle Public Schools: replacement capital and replacement education and operations levies.

• King County: a six-year parks, recreation, trails and open space lid lift at $0.23290, and a seven-year lid lift for AFIS, the county's fingerprint identification system.

• Countywide: a six-year renewal of the Emergency Medical Services levy.

Replacement and renewal measures replace levies that were expiring, so not every one of those is new money. The net effect, though, is the $0.71 jump in the rate.

The Levy Lid: Why Your Rate Falls When Values Rise

This is the part of NE Seattle property taxes that trips up almost everyone. In Washington, the rate is not fixed and then multiplied by whatever your house is worth. It works the other way around. Each district's regular levy is a dollar amount, and state law caps how fast that dollar amount can grow.

Under RCW 84.55.010 and the definitions in RCW 84.55.005, a large district's regular levy generally cannot grow by more than 1% a year, and less when inflation is lower unless the district adopts a finding of need, plus an allowance for new construction and improvements. Voters can approve more through a lid lift or a special levy, and those are exactly the measures listed above.

So the rate is an output. If every assessed value in Seattle rose 10% next year and no one approved a new levy, the regular part of the rate would fall to keep the dollars inside the cap. Your bill would move with how your value changed compared with everyone else's. Three things follow for a homeowner:

• A higher assessed value is not automatically a higher bill. If your value rose less than the city's overall, your share can actually shrink.

• A value that jumps faster than your neighbors' raises your share. A remodel, an addition or a new DADU is the usual reason. Improvements are also one of the ways the levy cap allows the total to grow.

• The ballot moves bills more than the market does. Voter-approved levies sit on top of the cap, which is why a year like 2026 can raise the rate while values rose only modestly.

Buying in NE Seattle: Property Taxes Follow Assessed Value, Not Your Price

Washington does not reset a home's taxable value when it sells. There is no rule like California's that locks a new owner's value to the purchase price. The Assessor revalues every parcel every year, and your first bill as an owner is based on whatever value the Assessor already set.

That has a few practical effects for a buyer:

• Look up the assessed value, not the listing price. The parcel's page in the Assessor's eReal Property search shows the current value, the levy code and recent tax history. A house that sells for well over its assessed value will usually see that value catch up over the next year or two, because the Assessor values from market sales in the area, and yours is one of them.

• Your 2026 bill reflects a 2025 value. If you close in 2026, the bill you inherit was calculated on the value set the year before. Plan on next year's value reflecting this year's market.

• The year's taxes are split at closing. Escrow prorates the current year's tax between buyer and seller so each pays for their share of the year. Your escrow officer walks through the exact numbers.

• A remodeled or rebuilt house may be under-assessed for a while. If significant work finished after the Assessor's last look, the value can jump once the county catches up. Ask for permit history, and do not assume last year's tax number is next year's.

Looking at a specific house? Search NE Seattle homes for sale, then pull the parcel on the Assessor's site and run the arithmetic above against its assessed value instead of the list price. If the gap between the two is large, we are happy to talk through what it likely means.

If You Think Your Assessed Value Is Wrong

The value notice the Assessor mails is the moment to act, not the tax bill months later. If you think the value is out of line, start by checking the Assessor's record for your house: square footage, bedroom count, condition, and anything like a finished basement that was never finished. Errors there are the easiest fix.

If the value is still wrong after that, the formal route is a petition to the King County Board of Equalization. Under RCW 84.40.038, the petition has a filing deadline that runs from the date the notice was mailed or made available, or July 1 of the assessment year, depending on which applies. The deadline is printed on the notice. Do not wait until the bill arrives to look at it. King County's Tax Advisor office helps homeowners with the appeal process, and a CPA or a tax attorney can help if the dollars are large.

NE Seattle Property Taxes for Seniors and Homeowners With Disabilities

Washington has a property tax exemption and a separate deferral program for homeowners who are older, have a disability, or are veterans with a qualifying service-connected rating. For King County's 2026 exemption, the Assessor lists these requirements: age 62 or older the first year you apply, or disabled, or a veteran with at least an 80% service-connected disability rating; household income under $84,000, based on 2025 income; and ownership and occupancy of the home as your residence. The deferral program has its own rules, including a household income limit of $88,998 for 2025 income, and deferred taxes become a lien on the home.

The Assessor's 2026 levy book also lists a separate rate for exemption participants in Seattle: $4.24803 per $1,000, because the exemption removes certain levies, and it can also reduce the value the rate is applied to. How much it saves depends on income tier. Apply through the Assessor's office, which recommends the online application.

This matters for anyone planning a move later in life. If you are weighing staying put against selling, our downsizing in NE Seattle guide covers the housing side. The exemption is one of the numbers worth knowing before you decide.

Paying NE Seattle Property Taxes: The Calendar

State law has King County send tax statements by mid-March. Under RCW 84.56.020, full-year taxes are due by April 30. If your total is $50 or more, you can pay half by April 30 and the other half by October 31.

If you miss a deadline on a house with four or fewer units, state law charges interest at 9% a year on the delinquent amount, computed monthly, and does not add penalties. The penalties in the statute apply to other property types. Either way, the fix is to pay as soon as you notice.

If you are a homeowner reading this in the fall of 2026, the second half of this year's bill is due October 31, 2026.

What NE Seattle Property Taxes Mean for Sellers and Landlords

For sellers, the tax bill is mostly a closing-statement line. Escrow prorates the year so you pay through your closing date. The separate one-time tax on a sale, the real estate excise tax, is not part of the annual property tax bill; ask your escrow officer and a CPA how it applies to your sale.

For owners deciding whether to keep a house as a rental, property tax is one of the fixed costs that does not go away when a tenant moves in, and it keeps following the assessed value whether or not the rent keeps up. Our rent or sell your NE Seattle home piece runs the monthly math with taxes included. Investment and tax treatment questions go to a CPA.

The Short Version

NE Seattle property taxes in 2026 are $9.90845 per $1,000 of assessed value on every parcel in our eight neighborhoods. Multiply your assessed value by that, add any flat charges on the statement, and you have the bill. The rate went up about 7.8% from 2025, mostly because voters approved it. And a buyer inherits the Assessor's value, not the purchase price, so budget for the value to catch up with the market.

For anything specific to your own parcel, the Assessor's office and your statement are the authority, and your tax situation beyond the bill itself belongs with a CPA.

Buying or selling in NE Seattle and want the carrying costs on a specific house laid out before you commit? Reach out through our contact page. We will pull the assessed value, the tax history and the comparable sales, and tell you plainly what the numbers look like, including when they say to wait.

Frequently Asked Questions About NE Seattle Property Taxes

What is the property tax rate in NE Seattle for 2026?

The King County Assessor's 2026 Codes and Levies book lists $9.90845 per $1,000 of assessed value for every Seattle levy code inside the Seattle School District, which covers all of NE Seattle, including Maple Leaf, Northgate, Pinehurst, Roosevelt, Wedgwood, Ravenna, Ravenna-Bryant and View Ridge. In 2025 the same rate was $9.19418. To estimate NE Seattle property taxes on a home, divide the assessed value by 1,000 and multiply by 9.90845. Your statement can also carry flat per-parcel charges, so check the Assessor's parcel page for the exact bill.

How much are property taxes on a $1 million house in Seattle?

At the 2026 Seattle levy rate of $9.90845 per $1,000, a home assessed at exactly $1,000,000 owes $9,908.45 a year, or about $826 a month, before any flat per-parcel charges on the statement. The key word is assessed. The bill is based on the value the King County Assessor set, not on what the house sold for, so a house that sold for $1 million may carry a different tax number until the assessed value catches up.

Do NE Seattle property taxes go up when I buy a house?

Not automatically. Washington does not reset a home's taxable value on a sale. The King County Assessor revalues every parcel every year, and your bill is based on that value, not your purchase price. If you paid well above the current assessed value, expect the value, and the NE Seattle property taxes that follow it, to rise as the Assessor catches up with market sales in the area. The current year's taxes are prorated between buyer and seller at closing.

Why did my Seattle property tax bill go up in 2026 if my value did not change?

Because the rate went up. The Seattle levy rate rose from $9.19418 per $1,000 in 2025 to $9.90845 in 2026, about 7.8%. The King County Assessor attributes property tax increases mostly to voter-approved measures rather than rising values. For 2026 its list includes a Seattle renewal lid lift for the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise levy, replacement Seattle Public Schools levies, a county parks lid lift and the EMS levy renewal. Questions about your own bill go to the Assessor's office.

Can seniors get a property tax break in Seattle?

Yes, if they qualify. For King County's 2026 exemption, the Assessor lists age 62 or older the first year you apply, or a disability, or a veteran's service-connected rating of at least 80%, plus household income under $84,000 based on 2025 income, and owning and living in the home. A separate deferral program has a $88,998 income limit, and deferred taxes become a lien on the home. Apply through the King County Assessor, and talk to a CPA about how it fits your broader tax picture.

When are King County property taxes due?

Under RCW 84.56.020, property taxes are due by April 30. If the total is $50 or more, you can pay the first half by April 30 and the second half by October 31. For residential property with four or fewer units, delinquent taxes accrue interest at 9% a year and no penalties are added. For 2026, the second-half payment is due October 31, 2026.

A note on sources. The figures on this page were checked on September 30, 2026 against the King County Assessor's 2026 Codes and Levies book (dated February 19, 2026), its 2025 and 2026 collective levy rate reports by city, its 2026 property tax highlights, and its senior and disabled exemption page, and against the Revised Code of Washington as published by the Washington State Legislature: RCW 84.40.020, RCW 84.40.038, RCW 84.55.005, RCW 84.55.010, and RCW 84.56.020. Rates change every year. This page is general information, not tax advice. For your own parcel, check with the King County Assessor, and talk to a CPA about your taxes.

More northeast Seattle reading: Northgate Seattle Home Prices: The Light Rail Premium · Ravenna Seattle Housing Market: Prices and Inventory · Move-Up Buyers in NE Seattle: Sell a Starter, Buy Bigger · Rent or Sell Your NE Seattle Home: The Honest Math