What Is the Property Tax Rate in Delaware Ohio and How Much Would I Pay on a $350,000 Home?

Ohio does not tax your home at its full sale price. The state taxes residential property at 35% of its appraised value, which the county auditor calls the assessed value. So if the Delaware County Auditor appraises your home at $350,000, your assessed value is $122,500. Your tax bill is then calculated against that $122,500 figure, not the full purchase price.

Assessed Value vs. Market Value

The county auditor reappraises all properties every six years, with a triennial update in between. Delaware County completed a full reappraisal in 2023, so the next full reappraisal is scheduled for 2029. The triennial update falls in 2026, which means assessed values across the county are being reviewed right now this September 2026. If home prices in your neighborhood have climbed since 2023, your assessed value may increase, and your tax bill could follow.

It is worth noting that the appraised value used by the county auditor does not always match what a buyer pays on the open market. If you pay $350,000 for a home that the auditor had previously valued at $310,000, the auditor will typically update the appraisal to reflect the sale price. That is called a sales ratio adjustment, and it can affect your first full tax bill after closing.

Millage Rates and What They Mean

Ohio expresses tax rates in mills. One mill equals $1 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value. So if your assessed value is $122,500 and your total millage rate is 25 mills, your gross tax bill before exemptions is $3,062.50. The total millage rate in any given spot in Delaware County is the sum of rates levied by the county, the municipality or township, the school district, and any special levies such as library or park district funds.

Not all mills are created equal. Ohio distinguishes between inside mills and outside mills. Inside mills are not subject to the state's HB 920 reduction factor, which means they stay fixed. Outside mills, which make up the bulk of most tax bills, are reduced when property values rise, acting as a partial brake on tax increases. This distinction matters when you are comparing two properties in different taxing districts.

2. What Is the Property Tax Rate in Delaware Ohio Right Now

The effective property tax rate in Delaware Ohio currently ranges from approximately 1.5% to 2.1% of market value, depending on the specific taxing district. Delaware County has dozens of distinct taxing districts because the total millage rate changes every time you cross a township line, a school district boundary, or a municipal boundary. Two homes on opposite sides of the same street can carry meaningfully different annual tax bills.

Delaware City vs. Township Rates

Homes inside the City of Delaware carry a combined millage rate that includes city levies on top of county and school levies. In many parts of the city, total gross millage rates run in the range of 55 to 65 mills before the HB 920 reduction factor is applied. After that reduction, effective rates land closer to 25 to 30 mills on assessed value, which works out to roughly 1.7% to 2.1% of market value. Homes in the city sit close to Olentangy Indian Mound Park, the Strand Theatre on Sandusky Street, and the Ohio Wesleyan University campus, all of which contribute to the walkable, established character of city neighborhoods you can read more about in the article on walkable neighborhoods close to downtown Delaware.

Township properties in areas like Berlin, Genoa, or Orange townships tend to carry lower municipal levies, which can push effective rates closer to 1.5% to 1.8% of market value. However, township properties often sit on larger lots, have longer commutes into the city core, and may rely on private well and septic rather than city utilities. Those infrastructure differences matter when you are comparing total cost of ownership between a city home and a township home at the same purchase price.

How Districts Affect Your Bill

School district levies make up the largest single piece of most Delaware County property tax bills. Delaware City School District, Olentangy Local School District, Buckeye Valley Local School District, and Big Walnut Local School District each have their own levy history and millage levels. A home in the Olentangy district, for example, can carry noticeably higher school millage than one in the Buckeye Valley district, even if both homes are in the same township. You can look up the current levy breakdown for any specific parcel on the Delaware County Auditor's website using the parcel number.

The Delaware County Public Library levy and the Delaware County General Health District levy also appear on most bills, adding a modest but real amount to the total. If you want to understand the school district landscape before you decide where to focus your home search, the article on Delaware City School District public schools in 2026 covers the district's structure in detail.

3. How Much Would I Pay on a $350,000 Home in Delaware Ohio

On a $350,000 home in Delaware Ohio, most buyers can expect to pay between roughly $5,250 and $7,350 per year in property taxes before exemptions, depending on the taxing district. That range reflects the 1.5% to 2.1% effective rate spread described above. After the standard owner-occupancy credit and homestead exemption, the net bill for most owner-occupants lands lower than the gross figure.

Running the Numbers

Here is how the math works on a $350,000 home using a mid-range effective rate of 1.75%:

• Market value: $350,000 (the price you paid)
• Assessed value (35% of market): $122,500
• Example gross millage rate (after HB 920 reduction): approximately 27.5 mills in a mid-range Delaware County district
• Gross annual tax before exemptions: $122,500 x 0.0275 = $3,368.75
• Owner-occupancy credit (2.5% rollback on qualified levies): reduces the bill by roughly $80 to $120 per year for most homeowners
• Homestead exemption (if eligible): reduces assessed value by $26,200 as of 2026, saving eligible seniors and disabled owners roughly $720 per year at this millage rate
• Estimated net annual bill for a non-exempt owner-occupant: approximately $3,250 to $3,290 after the 2.5% rollback credit

In a higher-millage district, such as parts of the city served by the Olentangy school district, the same $350,000 home could produce a gross bill closer to $4,500 to $5,000 before exemptions. In a lower-millage township district, the same home might come in around $2,600 to $3,000. The only way to get an exact number for a specific address is to look up that parcel on the Delaware County Auditor's website or ask Faruq Shittu to pull the tax history for any home you are seriously considering.

How the Homestead Exemption Changes Your Bill

The Ohio Homestead Exemption reduces the assessed value used to calculate your tax bill by $26,200 as of 2026. It is available to homeowners who are 65 or older, permanently and totally disabled, or surviving spouses of a qualifying owner. There is no income limit for seniors who turn 65 on or after January 1, 2014. You apply through the Delaware County Auditor's office, and the deadline is December 31 of the year for which you want the exemption to apply.

On a $350,000 home in Delaware Ohio, the homestead exemption would reduce your assessed value from $122,500 to $96,300. At a 27.5-mill effective rate, that saves roughly $720 per year. Over a decade, that is more than $7,000 in cumulative tax savings, which is a meaningful number for anyone on a fixed income.

4. Other Exemptions and Credits That Lower Your Tax Bill

Beyond the homestead exemption, Ohio offers several other mechanisms that reduce what property owners actually pay. Understanding these before you close can help you budget more accurately and avoid surprises when your first tax bill arrives.

Owner-Occupancy Credit

Ohio's 2.5% owner-occupancy rollback credit applies to most owner-occupied residential properties. It reduces the taxes charged on qualifying levies by 2.5%. The credit is applied automatically once you establish the home as your primary residence. It does not apply to investment properties or rentals, which is one reason rental homes in Delaware County often carry higher effective tax rates than owner-occupied homes at the same price point.

To receive the credit, you must occupy the home as your principal place of residence by January 1 of the tax year. If you close on your Delaware home in the fall of 2026 and move in before January 1, 2027, you will qualify for the credit starting with the 2027 tax year. Your first full tax bill may not reflect the credit if you close late in the year, so factor that into your first-year budget.

Qualifying for Additional Relief

Ohio also offers a Current Agricultural Use Value program for farmland, which is relevant for buyers looking at larger parcels on the outskirts of Delaware near areas like Shawnee Hills or Ostrander. If a property is enrolled in CAUV, the land is taxed on its agricultural use value rather than its market value, which can dramatically reduce the tax bill on a rural or semi-rural parcel. Buyers should confirm CAUV status before purchasing, because if the land is taken out of agricultural use, a recoupment charge applies for the prior three years.

New construction in some of Delaware's newer subdivisions may also be enrolled in a Community Reinvestment Area tax abatement program. These abatements can reduce or eliminate property taxes on the improvement value of a new home for a set number of years. If you are considering new construction in Delaware, the article on new housing developments and subdivisions in Delaware Ohio in 2026 covers the active building activity in the area and can help you identify which communities might carry abatements.

5. What Ohio's Property Tax Reform Debate Means for Delaware Buyers

Ohio's property tax system is under active political scrutiny in 2026, and the outcome could affect future bills for Delaware County homeowners. Rising home values across central Ohio, including Delaware, have pushed assessed values higher at reappraisal time, even though the HB 920 reduction factor is supposed to limit revenue growth on existing levies. Legislators and county officials have been debating whether the current system adequately protects long-term homeowners from rapid value increases.

Recent Legislative Movement

The Ohio General Assembly has been considering several proposals to cap assessment increases and expand exemptions. According to reporting by HousingWire on Ohio's sweeping property tax reform plans, Ohio advanced legislation earlier in 2026 that could reshape how residential properties are assessed and taxed going forward. The details of any final legislation will matter significantly for buyers purchasing in Delaware County right now, because changes to assessment caps or exemption thresholds would directly affect future annual bills.

None of the proposed reforms eliminate property taxes, and most target relief for existing long-term homeowners rather than new purchasers. Still, if you are buying a $350,000 home in Delaware Ohio right now, it is worth monitoring what the legislature finalizes, because any cap on assessment growth would limit how much your bill can increase after the next reappraisal cycle.

What to Watch Going Forward

The triennial update happening in 2026 is the most immediate event that could shift tax bills for Delaware County homeowners. If the update increases assessed values in your neighborhood, your gross tax bill will rise even if millage rates stay flat. The Delaware County Auditor mails notices when assessed values change, and homeowners have the right to appeal an assessed value they believe is inaccurate. The appeal window is typically 30 days from the notice date, so do not set the letter aside.

Home prices in Delaware have been moving, and understanding how that affects assessed values is part of the picture. For a current look at where prices stand right now in September 2026 compared to a year ago, the article on home prices in Delaware Ohio in September 2026 gives you a grounded sense of the market.

6. Practical Tips for Managing Property Taxes When Buying in Delaware Ohio

Knowing the rate is only part of the picture. How you handle taxes at closing, in your mortgage escrow, and in your annual budget determines whether property taxes feel manageable or catch you off guard.

• Check the current tax bill before making an offer: The Delaware County Auditor's website lets you look up any parcel by address. Pull the most recent tax bill so you know the actual number, not an estimate.
• Ask about proration at closing: Ohio property taxes are paid in arrears. At closing, the seller typically credits the buyer for the taxes accrued but not yet paid. Confirm the proration method with your title company.
• Budget for the triennial update: With Delaware County's 2026 triennial update underway, your first full tax bill after closing could be higher than the seller's most recent bill if values have risen.
• Verify escrow calculations with your lender: If you are financing, your lender will collect property taxes through escrow. Make sure their estimate is based on the current auditor value, not an older one.
• Apply for the owner-occupancy credit promptly: Establish the home as your primary residence and confirm with the auditor that the credit is applied to your account for the correct tax year.
• Consider a CAUV or CRA abatement check on rural or new-construction properties: Both can significantly reduce your bill but come with conditions. Understand the terms before you rely on the lower rate in your budget.