Santa Monica Property Tax Rate
The typical property-tax rate in Santa Monica is about 1.20% of assessed value — the 1% Proposition 13 base plus voter-approved debt. (This is the property tax rate — the median across Santa Monica’s parcels, each at its own Tax Rate Area — not the sales tax rate.) A typical Santa Monica single-family home is assessed at about $1,445,000 for existing owners (2025 Assessor roll). Estimate your own bill below.
At about 1.20%, Santa Monica is about the same as the LA County median of 1.1874%. See how it ranks among LA County cities →
See what's behind the Santa Monica rate: browse Santa Monica’s Tax Rate Areas and their itemized ad-valorem levies →
Typical Santa Monica property tax
| Property type | Typical assessed value | Typical annual tax (median rate) | Ad-valorem rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family homes (7,438 parcels) | $1,445,000 | $17,395 | 1.204% |
| Condominiums (9,202 parcels) | $781,000 | $9,402 | 1.204% |
| Small income properties (2–4 units) (4,046 parcels) | $1,294,000 | $15,577 | 1.204% |
Figures are medians for existing owners from the LA County roll; see the data & methodology.
What Santa Monica homes are assessed at, and when
The 7,438 single-family homes on Santa Monica’s 2025 roll are assessed from about $623,000 (lower quarter) to $2,752,000 (upper quarter), with a median of $1,445,000. Because Proposition 13 sets the assessment when a home changes hands, the year a home was bought matters more than what it would sell for today: at Santa Monica’s median 1.20% rate, a home whose base year — the year its Proposition 13 assessment was last set, usually when it last changed hands — is before 1990 pays about $4,261 a year and one reassessed in 2020 – 2025 about $38,774.
| Assessed value | Share of homes | Median in band | Typical bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $250,000 | 10% | $137,000 | $1,649 |
| $250,000 – $500,000 | 10% | $373,000 | $4,490 |
| $500,000 – $1,000,000 | 18% | $731,000 | $8,800 |
| $1,000,000 – $2,000,000 | 25% | $1,462,000 | $17,600 |
| $2,000,000 and above | 37% | $3,424,000 | $41,218 |
| Base year set | Share of homes | Median assessed | Typical bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 1990 | 27% | $354,000 | $4,261 |
| 1990s | 18% | $958,000 | $11,532 |
| 2000s | 17% | $1,709,000 | $20,573 |
| 2010s | 21% | $2,389,000 | $28,759 |
| 2020 – 2025 | 18% | $3,221,000 | $38,774 |
Santa Monica’s 22,698 parcels are 41% condos (17% of assessed value), 33% single-family homes (30% of assessed value), 18% residential income (2–4 units) (19% of assessed value), 7.6% commercial and industrial (31% of assessed value), 0.6% other (2.9% of assessed value) and 0.6% vacant land (0.8% of assessed value). Commercial and industrial property carries more of Santa Monica's tax base than its homes do. Condos outnumber single-family homes in Santa Monica.
LA County Assessor 2025 roll, single-family parcels by situs city; typical bill = median assessed value in the group × Santa Monica’s median ad-valorem rate (1.2038%, shown rounded as 1.20% above), before Mello-Roos and direct assessments. Groups with fewer than 50 parcels are not shown. Base year is the land base year the Assessor carries; it resets on a change of ownership or new construction (reassessment rules). Market values are higher than these assessed values for most long-held homes.
Property tax in Santa Monica, in context
On the 2025 Assessor roll, Santa Monica’s taxable property was assessed at about $52.9 billion in total — up 4% from the prior year. Its residential roll of roughly 20,700 parcels is about 36% single-family homes, 44% condominiums and 20% small income properties (2–4 units). A typical single-family home is assessed at about $1,445,000 — an existing owner's Proposition 13 base-year value, not today's market price — for a typical annual tax near $17,395. The typical single-family home dates to around 1940 and spans about 2,050 sq ft, and about 45% of them still carry a Proposition 13 base set before 2000 (a median base year near 2002) — a big reason long-time owners are assessed well below current prices.
Across Santa Monica’s Tax Rate Areas the ad-valorem rate is uniform at about 1.20% — the same 1% Proposition 13 base plus voter-approved school and municipal debt applies throughout. That figure is ad-valorem only: Mello-Roos (CFD) special taxes and fixed direct assessments — where a parcel sits in a district that levies them — are billed separately and vary parcel by parcel. Newer, master-planned developments are the most likely to carry Mello-Roos, so check your own bill for line items beyond the base rate. See the Los Angeles County Mello-Roos district list to check whether a community in Santa Monica has a CFD special tax. For how the ad-valorem rate itself shifts across the county, see the Los Angeles property tax rate by ZIP code.
Santa Monica property tax vs. nearby cities
How Santa Monica’s typical rate and bill compare with its closest Los Angeles County cities. A higher rate reflects more voter-approved bond debt in that area, not a higher assessment.
| City | Distance | Typical rate | Typical bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica (this page) | — | 1.2038% | $17,395 |
| Los Angeles | 5 mi | 1.1874% | $6,258 |
| Culver City | 6 mi | 1.1388% | $7,824 |
| Beverly Hills | 7 mi | 1.1994% | $33,535 |
| El Segundo | 8 mi | 1.1092% | $9,661 |
Nearest cities by Census place center; distance is straight-line. Typical bill is the median single-family figure for existing owners, ad-valorem only (excludes Mello-Roos and direct assessments).
Paying property tax in Santa Monica
Due dates (LA County)
- 1st installment: due Nov 1, delinquent after Dec 10
- 2nd installment: due Feb 1, delinquent after Apr 10
- Full California due-date calendar, penalties, and when bills are mailed
A 10% penalty applies after each delinquency date. Pay or look up your Santa Monica bill by parcel (AIN) at the LA County Treasurer & Tax Collector — links below.
Just bought in Santa Monica?
A purchase reassesses the home to its price and triggers a one-time supplemental tax bill on the difference. Estimate it with the supplemental tax calculator →
Ways to lower your Santa Monica bill
Most owner-occupants qualify for the $7,000 homeowners' exemption. You may also qualify for the senior or disabled-veteran property-tax exemptions — check your eligibility before the next installment.
Due dates, paying, and who to contact
Secured property-tax due dates
- 1st installment: due Nov 1 · delinquent after Dec 10
- 2nd installment: due Feb 1 · delinquent after Apr 10
Statewide schedule; a 10% penalty applies after each delinquency date.
Official LA County sources
- LA County Property Tax Portal ↗Look up and pay your bill (all three agencies in one place).
- Treasurer & Tax Collector ↗Payments, due dates, and installment details.
- Office of the Assessor ↗Assessed values, exemptions, and appeals.
- Auditor-Controller ↗Tax rates by Tax Rate Area and direct assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in Santa Monica, CA?
In Santa Monica the typical ad-valorem property-tax rate is about 1.20% of assessed value — the 1% Proposition 13 base plus voter-approved debt. Mello-Roos and fixed direct assessments, if any, are extra.
How much is property tax in Santa Monica?
The typical Santa Monica single-family home is assessed at about $1,445,000 (a Proposition 13 base-year value for existing owners), for a typical annual tax near $17,395. A new purchase is taxed on its price — use the calculator for your number.
How much is property tax on a home you buy in Santa Monica — starter to typical?
Property tax in Santa Monica runs about 1.20% of the price you pay, so a buyer's bill scales with the home — roughly $12,038 a year on a $1,000,000 home and about $22,872 on a $1,900,000 home. Existing owners are taxed on their lower Proposition 13 value instead — a typical Santa Monica single-family home is assessed near $1,445,000, for about $17,395 a year. Enter your own price in the calculator above.
Learn More
Educational estimate only, not an official bill. Rates are ad-valorem only (excluding Mello-Roos and fixed direct assessments) and shown as an area range, not your parcel's exact Tax Rate Area. Confirm with the LA County Assessor and Auditor-Controller.
Last reviewed: October 2026.