Every fall, an envelope from the county shows up in Salem and Keizer mailboxes, and for a lot of homeowners it raises more questions than it answers. Why is the assessed value so different from what your home would sell for? Should you pay it all at once or in pieces? And is the number even right? If you’re new to Oregon or simply never had anyone walk you through it, you’re not alone. Here’s how we’d explain the statement, the payment options in front of you, and when an appeal is worth a closer look.
The short answer: Oregon property tax statements arrive in late October. Your county mails them by October 25, and the first payment is due November 15, which moves to Monday, November 16, this year because the 15th falls on a Sunday. Pay the full year by then and you get a 3% discount. Your bill is based on assessed value, which is often lower than market value.
When are property taxes due in Oregon?
Oregon’s property tax year runs from July 1 through June 30. According to the Oregon Department of Revenue, you can pay the year in one lump sum or in three equal installments:
- November 15: first one-third, or the full year for a 3% discount, or two-thirds for a 2% discount.
- February 15: second one-third.
- May 15: final one-third.
If the 15th falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the due date moves to the next business day. A tax of less than $40 cannot be paid in installments. Late installments are charged interest at 1.333% a month.
Which way should you pay your Oregon property tax bill?
Those dates give you three options, and each one fits a different situation.
- Pay the full year by November 15. You get the 3% discount, which is the biggest savings on the table. This makes sense if you have the cash on hand without stretching your budget.
- Pay two-thirds by November 15. You get a 2% discount and keep the last third until May 15. It’s a middle path if paying everything at once feels tight.
- Pay in three installments. You get no discount, but the cost is spread across November, February and May. This fits if cash flow matters more to you than the savings, as long as you stay on schedule, since late installments are charged interest.
When it comfortably fits the budget, we usually suggest taking the full-year discount. If your lender pays through an escrow account, the choice may already be made for you, which we cover below.
Even if you don’t receive a statement, you still owe the tax. If you bought your home after July 1 and haven’t received a statement by November 1, the Department of Revenue suggests contacting your county tax collector for the amount owed.
What is the difference between market value and assessed value?
Your statement shows at least two values, and the difference surprises many new Oregon homeowners.
- Real market value (RMV): the assessor’s estimate of what your property would sell for as of January 1.
- Maximum assessed value (MAV): a capped value created by Measure 50 in 1997. Each year it is the greater of 103% of last year’s assessed value or last year’s MAV (ORS 308.146).
- Assessed value (AV): the lower of RMV and MAV. This is the value your tax rate is applied to.
The Department of Revenue explains that MAV cannot rise more than 3% a year unless the property changes, for example with a new structure, an improvement to an existing one or a partition. So a strong year for home prices does not flow straight into your assessed value.
Why can two similar homes have very different tax bills?
Measure 50 set each property’s starting MAV at its 1995 real market value reduced by 10% (see the Department of Revenue’s appraisal methods manual), and since then it has generally grown by no more than 3% a year, outside of those property changes. Homes in neighborhoods whose market values grew at different speeds since the 1990s can now carry very different assessed values, even when their market values today are similar.
Your total bill also depends on where the home sits. The rates on your statement come from the taxing districts that serve the property, such as the city, county, school district and fire district, along with any voter-approved bonds and levies. That’s why a Salem home and a Keizer home with the same assessed value can have different bills, and why your bill can change by a different amount than your assessed value.
Should you appeal your property value?
You can, but you appeal the value, not the tax. According to the Department of Revenue’s guide on how to appeal your property value, a petition goes to your county Board of Property Tax Appeals and is filed with the county clerk between the date statements are mailed and December 31.
Whether it’s worth it comes down to one comparison. Before you file, we’d look at your RMV and your AV side by side. If your assessed value is already well below the market value, lowering the market value may not lower your taxes at all, and an appeal may not be worth the effort. If the two are close, an appeal may be worth exploring. The Marion County Assessor and the Polk County Assessor publish property records and appeal information for west Salem and the rest of the area.
What should buyers and sellers know about property taxes?
If you’re buying, look up the tax history of any home you’re considering in the county records so you can plan your monthly payment. Ask your lender whether your taxes will be paid through an escrow account. When a mortgage company pays for you, the county also sends it the statement information.
If you’re selling, taxes are prorated at closing so that you pay for your share of the tax year. Our post on what it costs to sell a home in Salem explains how that works alongside your other closing costs. For a sense of how local values are moving, see the August 2026 Salem-Keizer housing market update and the current Salem and Keizer market reports.
Common questions
What if your mortgage company pays your property taxes?
Then your lender usually pays the bill from your escrow account, and the county sends the lender the statement information too. You’ll still get your own statement. We’d check that the payment posts, and read the values on your statement anyway, since they’re the ones you would use if you wanted to appeal.
Do property taxes go up exactly 3% a year?
Not necessarily. The 3% limit applies to your maximum assessed value, not to your bill. Your bill can rise more or less than 3% because of new bonds or levies, changes to your property such as an addition, or an assessed value that catches up to a market value that was lower in past years.
Where can you pay your property tax bill?
Pay the county where the home is located. Most of Salem and all of Keizer are in Marion County, which takes payments through the Marion County Tax Office. West Salem is in Polk County, which has its own tax collection office. Your statement lists the payment options and the address to use.
Making sense of your statement
Once you know which value your rate is applied to and which payment option fits your budget, the fall tax statement gets a lot less mysterious. And if something on it doesn’t look right, you have until December 31 to act. If you want to know what today’s market means for your home or neighborhood, ask a HomeStar Brokers agent for a local market review.
This article provides general real estate information and is not tax or legal advice. Tax rules and deadlines can change; check your county tax statement and talk with a qualified tax professional about your situation.
