Delray Beach, Florida is a popular area with a growing population. Found along the Atlantic Coast, it offers a number of attractions and housing times. Understanding the Delray Beach property tax during the home search is important as it can help to determine if the homes are going to fit within your budget once all expenses are factored in.
Why Property Tax Matters
The housing market can fluctuate in Delray Beach and this is going to impact what a person pays in property taxes. When you are a homeowner, paying the taxes is inevitable and required.
The reason property taxes are paid is to give the county money within their budget to pay for everything that is of benefit to the residents. This includes such things as law enforcement, fire department, ambulatory services, road repair, and more. Without taxes, the county government would cease to exist and this would be a problem for residents.
With or without a mortgage, property taxes are owed. They are calculated based upon the appraised value of your home, which includes land as well as the structure itself. Beaches are generally higher simply because there is more going on there – and there may be floods at one point or another where there may be the need for the county to spend more money. As such, living on the beach can be a lot of fun, but it will also result in higher property taxes.
Property Taxes
The property tax in Delray Beach is 1.295 percent as it falls within Palm Beach County. This is one of the higher rates throughout the state of Florida and the cost of living in general is higher in this county. The median list price for a home in this area is $389,000, which is more than double the median housing price for Florida as a whole.
With the taxes being what they are, the median home in the area would pay $5037 in property taxes every year. If the appraised value of the home goes up or down, the property taxes would be adjusted as appropriate. Homes are appraised annually at the beginning of the year and the tax bills go out at the end of the year.
Some discounts are available on property taxes by paying early. Palm Beach County will provide discounts up to four percent for paying the taxes before the deadline. As the deadline approaches, the discount drops by one percent with each passing month. Fees may then be added if the taxes are not paid on time – and it is possible for liens to be placed onto a home if not paid at all.
Comparison to Other Areas
It’s important to compare the property taxes to other areas. If you love the beach, you may want to stay along the Atlantic Coast of Florida. This could involve Miami Beach where the property tax rate is 1.272 percent or all the way down to Key West where the rate is 0.692 percent. Should you wish to move to the other coast of Florida, you could move to Fort Myers where the rate is 1.202 percent or even Tampa where it is 1.177 percent.
As you look around Florida, Palm Beach County has a higher property tax rate, but it is also where there are a lot of gorgeous homes, sunny beaches, and an array of county amenities – all of which are paid for by the property taxes that you contribute towards. Parks, recreation, community centers – all of this is paid for with your property taxes
When you decide to call Delray Beach home, it is important to understand how the property tax here compares to other parts of the United States as well. It is on the higher side for the state and is all over the board when compared to other states.
Denver, Colorado is at 0.72 percent, Los Angeles, California is at 0.786 percent, and Atlanta, Georgia is at 1.157 percent. All of these are lower than Delray Beach. However, it’s still lower than some of the other highly sought after cities, such as Chicago (1.861 percent) and New York City (1.925 percent).
Overall Cost of Living
In general, Delray Beach is a relatively expensive area to live. Some of this has to do with it being in Palm Beach County and how the area is right on the beach. One thing that works to your advantage being in Florida is that you don’t have to pay state income tax, which can lower the cost of living slightly. Florida is one of only seven states that does not have to worry about this additional form of taxation.
Delray Beach ranks as a 101 on a scale of 100 for cost of living. Despite the cost of property taxes, it is not considered a really expensive place to live. This can make you feel a lot better about calling this place home. You will find that healthcare, utilities, and various other things are more affordable here than in many other parts of the country.
Ultimately, when you look at a home, you want to consider the cost of the house as well as what the property taxes are going to be. You may then need to factor in PMI, homeowner’s insurance, and even HOA fees, if the community you choose to live in has a Home Owners Association. All of this is going to contribute to what you pay every month on housing and needs to be calculated before you make an offer on a home.
Property taxes in Delray Beach are high when you compare them to other parts of the state as well as around the country, but in the end, it’s only one number amongst many to look at.
2 Point Highlight
Some discounts are available on property taxes by paying early.
Despite the cost of property taxes, it is not considered a really expensive place to live.
