Northern Virginia Property Tax Rates by County 2026: Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William

The same $750,000 house carries a property tax bill about $3,300 a year apart depending on which Northern Virginia jurisdiction it sits in.

By Ken Byrne, NMLS #187129 · ALCOVA Mortgage LLC, NMLS #40508 · Updated September 2026

Property tax is the one part of a Northern Virginia mortgage payment that changes by address rather than by lender. Two identical houses a few miles apart can carry very different monthly payments because they sit on opposite sides of a county or city line. This guide sets out the 2026 real estate tax rates for every major Northern Virginia jurisdiction from the localities’ own budget decisions and, for Falls Church, local news reports, what each rate means in dollars, the add-on levies most comparisons leave out, and how the tax flows into your mortgage payment. For a payment built on a specific address, the Ken Byrne Team at JB Financing can run it the same day.

Northern Virginia property tax rates for 2026 at a glance

Rates are per $100 of assessed value. The combined column adds the levies each locality lists alongside its base rate for homeowners.

Tax year 2026 rates from each locality’s adopted budget or tax rate page: Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, Arlington, City of Fairfax, Fairfax County, City of Alexandria and City of Manassas. The City of Falls Church rate is as reported by ARLnow and the Falls Church News-Press in May 2026; the city’s own rate page had not been updated. Dollar figures assume the assessment equals $750,000.

Prince William’s fire and rescue levy applies countywide except in the Town of Quantico, and Manassas publishes its $1.05 base and $0.19 levy as a single total. Comparing base rates alone makes both look cheaper than they are, which is why the combined column is the one to use.

What the difference in rates is worth

The spread between the lowest and highest rate in the table is 43.5 cents per $100. That sounds small until you put it in the payment.

A lender counts property tax in the monthly payment it qualifies you on. At today’s average 30 year rate of 6.95 percent, every $100 a month of property tax uses up the payment on about $15,100 of loan. The $272 a month gap above is worth about $41,100 of borrowing power: a buyer who qualifies for a given payment can borrow roughly that much more in Loudoun than in Manassas for the same monthly outlay.

Calculated at 6.95 percent, the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey 30 year average for the week of September 17, 2026, on a 30 year fixed loan.

Tax is only one line of affordability, but in Northern Virginia it is a large one. Our guide to how much house you can afford in Northern Virginia puts it together with income, debts and rate.

County by county: rates, levies and what changed

Fairfax County

The Board of Supervisors lowered the rate from $1.1225 to $1.12 per $100 for 2026. On top of it, Fairfax lists a stormwater service district rate of $0.0325 and a leaf collection rate of $0.019 in the districts that have them, a countywide pest infestation levy of $0.001, and a refuse fee of $630 per dwelling unit where the county collects. The Dulles Rail districts apply only to commercial and industrial property. Current rates, rate history and lending conditions across the county are in our Fairfax County buyer guide.

Loudoun County

Loudoun kept its rate at $0.805 for 2026, the lowest of the large Northern Virginia counties. The county said the average homeowner’s tax would still rise by $141, due in part to higher home values.

Prince William County

Prince William cut its base rate from $0.906 to $0.865. Homeowners also pay the $0.07 fire and rescue levy outside the Town of Quantico and a $0.002 mosquito and forest pest levy, plus annual fees of $84 for solid waste and $67.28 for stormwater on a single family detached home.

Arlington County

Arlington raised its rate from $1.033 to $1.053. The county put the effect at $466 more a year for the average homeowner, based on an average home value of $882,900. Stormwater is billed as a separate utility fee. The full breakdown, including due dates and the average bill, is in our Arlington County property tax guide.

City of Alexandria

Alexandria kept its rate at $1.135. Stormwater and refuse are billed as separate fees rather than as part of the rate.

Stafford County

Stafford’s 2026 rate is $0.9675, with a separate fire and EMS levy of $0.014.

The independent cities

The City of Fairfax set its rate at $1.0725 when it adopted its budget on May 5, 2026. The City of Falls Church lowered its rate by half a cent to $1.18, and reports put the median homeowner’s increase at $557 because assessments rose. The City of Manassas charges $1.05 plus a $0.19 fire and rescue levy, $1.24 in total.

The tax rate is fixed by the locality each spring. The assessment it is applied to changes with the market.

Typical home, typical tax bill

A fixed $750,000 example is useful for comparing rates, but homes in each county cost different amounts. Here is the combined rate applied to the typical home value in each of the larger jurisdictions.

Typical values from the Zillow Home Value Index, updated August 31, 2026, applied as if they were the assessed value. Actual assessments can differ from market estimates in either direction.

Loudoun stands out: its typical home is worth more than Fairfax County’s, yet the typical tax bill is about $2,100 a year lower because of the rate. Prince William and Stafford combine lower rates with lower values, which is why their monthly tax is roughly $255 to $270 below Fairfax and Arlington.

How your assessment sets the bill

The rate is only half the formula. The bill is your assessed value divided by 100, multiplied by the rate. Virginia law requires assessments to be made at 100 percent of fair market value, and Fairfax County states that it assesses all real estate at 100 percent of its fair market value as of January 1.

Va. Code 58.1-3201; Fairfax County 2026 real estate assessment notice. Calculated.

That is why the rate alone does not tell you the bill. Loudoun kept its rate unchanged for 2026 and the average homeowner’s tax still rose by $141, and Falls Church cut its rate while the median bill rose by a reported $557 as assessments went up. If you believe your assessment is above what your home would sell for, each locality has a review and appeal process with firm deadlines; our guide to property tax assessment appeals in Northern Virginia sets them out.

Due dates, escrow and your mortgage payment

Northern Virginia localities bill real estate tax in two halves.

Each locality’s published tax calendar for 2026. December 5, 2026 falls on a Saturday; check your locality’s calendar for the next business day when a due date lands on a weekend.

Most buyers never pay these bills directly. When your loan has an escrow account, the lender adds one twelfth of the annual tax to each monthly payment and pays the locality on the due dates. Once a year the servicer must analyze the account, and under federal rules a surplus of $50 or more is refunded within 30 days when your payments are current. How that account works, and why your payment changes when your tax does, is in our guide to mortgage escrow accounts.

12 CFR 1024.17, Regulation X, on escrow account analysis and surpluses.

At closing, the settlement agent also prorates the current year’s tax between buyer and seller, which is one of the larger lines on a Virginia Closing Disclosure.

Tax relief programs worth checking

Two Virginia programs can reduce or remove the bill for specific owners.

Income and asset limits for the elderly and disabled programs differ by locality, so check with your county or city tax office. The Virginia statewide picture, including housing programs for buyers, is on our Virginia mortgage page.

Buyers weighing Maryland as well will find the Frederick County rates, including its town by town differences, in our guide to Frederick County property tax.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Fairfax County property tax rate for 2026?

$1.12 per $100 of assessed value, down from $1.1225. Separate district levies such as stormwater at $0.0325 apply in addition where they are charged.

What is the Loudoun County property tax rate for 2026?

$0.805 per $100 of assessed value, unchanged from the prior year and the lowest of the large Northern Virginia counties.

What is the Prince William County property tax rate for 2026?

$0.865 per $100, down from $0.906, plus a $0.07 fire and rescue levy countywide except the Town of Quantico and a $0.002 pest levy, $0.937 combined.

Which Northern Virginia county has the lowest property tax?

Loudoun County, at $0.805 per $100 for 2026. Among the jurisdictions in this guide, the City of Manassas is highest at $1.24 including its fire and rescue levy.

How much is property tax on a $750,000 house in Northern Virginia?

About $6,038 a year in Loudoun, $7,028 in Prince William with its levies, $8,408 in Fairfax County including its pest levy, and $9,300 in the City of Manassas, assuming the assessment equals the price.

What is the Stafford County property tax rate?

$0.9675 per $100 for 2026, with a separate fire and EMS levy of $0.014.

How is property tax calculated in Virginia?

Divide the assessed value by 100 and multiply by the rate. Virginia law requires assessments at 100 percent of fair market value.

When are Northern Virginia property taxes due?

In two halves. Loudoun is due June 5 and December 5, Arlington June 15 and October 5, Alexandria June 15 and November 15, and Prince William and Fairfax County July 15 and July 28, with the second half due December 7 in 2026.

Do property taxes go in my mortgage payment?

Usually, through an escrow account. The lender collects one twelfth of the annual tax each month and pays the locality, and the account is reviewed every year.

How much house does property tax cost me in qualifying?

At 6.95 percent on a 30 year loan, every $100 a month of property tax reduces the loan you can qualify for by about $15,100.