How Do Connecticut Mill Rates and Property Taxes Work?

Quick answer: In Connecticut, your yearly property tax is your assessed value times the mill rate, divided by 1,000. Assessed value is 70 percent of the home's market value as of the town's last revaluation, which happens at least every five years (Hartford assesses homes of one to three units at 36.75 percent instead). Mill rates for fiscal year 2026 to 2027 range from 22.16 in Branford to 69.95 in Hartford among the towns I cover, and fire districts or beach associations can add more on top.

Property taxes are one of the biggest parts of a Connecticut monthly payment, and one of the most misunderstood. I'm Rachel Natal, a Realtor with Real Broker LLC, and this is how I explain the system to buyers: what the numbers mean, where the surprises hide, and how to check the real tax on a specific house before you make an offer.

What is a mill, and how is the tax calculated?

A mill is one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. So a mill rate of 31.70 means $31.70 for every $1,000 your home is assessed at.

Assessed value x mill rate, divided by 1,000 = yearly property tax

Example: a home assessed at $250,000 in Rocky Hill, where the mill rate is 31.70, would pay $7,925 a year, or about $660 a month.

Assessed value is not the price you pay

Connecticut law sets the assessment at 70 percent of market value as of the town's last revaluation date. It does not reset when a house sells.

Example: if the assessor valued a home at $400,000 at the last revaluation, the assessment is $280,000. In Avon, at 31.80 mills, that is $8,904 a year, or $742 a month.

Hartford is the exception

Hartford assesses residential property (single-family homes, condos and buildings with one to three units) at 36.75 percent of value, and everything else, including buildings with four or more units, at 70 percent. Hartford's mill rate is 69.95 for fiscal year 2026 to 2027.

• A Hartford single-family home the city valued at $200,000 at its last revaluation: $200,000 x 36.75 percent = $73,500 assessed. $73,500 x 69.95 / 1,000 = about $5,141 a year, or about $428 a month.
• A four-family with the same $200,000 city value: $200,000 x 70 percent = $140,000 assessed, so about $9,793 a year at the same mill rate.

More detail is in my Hartford guide.

How do revaluations and phase-ins work?

Every Connecticut town has to revalue all real estate at least once every five years, effective October 1. Values change, and then the town sets a new mill rate to raise the budget it needs. A revaluation does not raise every bill. It shifts the tax between properties, depending on how much each one changed in value.

The first tax bills on new values usually come the following July. For example, New Haven, Orange and Farmington each have a revaluation effective October 1, 2026, and say the new values will show up on bills due July 1, 2027.

Phase-ins

State law lets a town phase in assessment increases from a revaluation over up to five years. During a phase-in, your assessment sits below 70 percent of the new value and climbs each year. A few towns I cover are doing this right now:

• Milford: phasing in its October 1, 2025 revaluation at 20 percent a year. The city's own example: a home that went from $290,000 to $400,000 assessed is taxed on $312,000 first, then $334,000, $356,000, $378,000 and finally $400,000.
• Hamden: fiscal year 2026 to 2027 is the second year of a four-year phase-in of its October 1, 2024 revaluation.
• Bloomfield: also in year two of a four-year phase-in of its 2024 revaluation, at 25 percent of the increase per year.

In a phase-in town, the assessment keeps rising each year even if the mill rate stays flat. Ask for the full phased-in number.

What are fire districts, beach associations and special tax districts?

Some parts of Connecticut have a second taxing body on top of the town. Your total rate is the town rate plus the district rate. Some districts are billed by the town, and some send their own bill. Here are real fiscal year 2026 to 2027 examples:

• West Haven: the city rate is 25.58, plus one of three fire districts, for a total of 36.48 (Center), 33.36 (West Shore) or 34.41 (Allingtown). On a $200,000 assessment, that is $7,296, $6,672 or $6,882 a year, depending on the street. See my West Haven guide.
• Bloomfield: 34.40, plus 1.75 in the Center Fire District or 3.10 in the Blue Hills Fire District. On a $200,000 assessment, that is $6,880 before the district tax, $7,230 with Center and $7,500 with Blue Hills.
• Berlin: 31.15, plus 1.35 in the Kensington Fire District or 1.90 in the Worthington Fire District.
• Cromwell: 29.28, plus 3.66 for the Cromwell Fire District, for 32.94 in total.
• Simsbury: 33.67, plus 1.33 for the Simsbury Fire District, for 35.00. The town's online tax calculator does not include the fire district.
• Milford: the Borough of Woodmont (0.5205 mills) and beach associations such as Laurel Beach (3.34 mills) collect their own tax, separately from the city.
• Branford: the Pine Orchard Association (3.25 mills), Hotchkiss Grove Shore District (1.36 mills) and several condo tax districts levy their own rates.

Before you make an offer, ask which district the house is in and whether it gets a separate bill.

How are cars taxed in Connecticut?

Connecticut towns also tax motor vehicles, and the state caps the motor vehicle mill rate at 32.46, including any district tax. That is why Hamden, Hartford and New Haven all charge 32.46 on cars even though their real estate rates are much higher. Cromwell's town and fire district car rates add up to exactly 32.46 (29.28 plus 3.18).

Example: a car assessed at $20,000 at 32.46 mills is $649.20 a year.

Why can comparing mill rates between towns be misleading?

A mill rate only means something next to the assessment it is applied to. Towns revalue in different years, so a lower mill rate does not always mean a lower bill.

A simple made-up example: the same $400,000 house in two towns.

• Town A revalued recently, so the house is assessed at $280,000. At 30 mills, the tax is $8,400.
• Town B last revalued when prices were lower, so the house is assessed at $210,000. At 40 mills, the tax is also $8,400.

Hartford is the extreme case. Its 69.95 mill rate applied to a 36.75 percent assessment works out to about 36.7 mills on a 70 percent basis.

The better comparison is the actual tax bill on similar homes, plus any district tax. I will not tell you which town is "best." I can help you compare real bills.

Why might the tax on a listing not be what you pay?

The tax shown on a listing is usually the seller's current bill. Here is what can change it:

1. A revaluation is coming. West Hartford, New Haven, East Haven, Orange and Farmington all have revaluations effective October 1, 2026, so assessments and mill rates will both change for bills due in July 2027. Hartford was also on the 2026 list, but the City Council voted in September 2026 to defer its revaluation to October 1, 2027.
2. A phase-in is in progress. In Milford, Hamden and Bloomfield, the assessment is still stepping up each year.
3. The mill rate changes every year. Towns usually set it in the spring with the budget.
4. The district tax may be missing. Fire district and association taxes are easy to leave out.

How to look up an assessment yourself

• Go to the town assessor's page. Many towns link to an online property record database; South Windsor, for example, uses Vision Government Solutions.
• Look at the property card for the current assessment and the year it is based on.
• Check for phase-in or district tools. Milford posts a phase-in worksheet, and West Haven posts a street list by fire district.
• Ask the tax collector for the current bill if anything looks off.

Then take the number to your lender, so your pre-approval reflects the real tax.

When are Connecticut property taxes due, and how does escrow work?

The tax year runs July 1 to June 30. Most Connecticut towns split the real estate bill into two installments due July 1 and January 1. A few bill once a year in July, and some bill quarterly. Check the town's tax collector page.

You get a one-month grace period. After that, the state sets late interest at 1.5 percent per month.

Escrow

Many lenders require an escrow account. Part of each monthly payment goes into it, and your mortgage servicer pays the tax and homeowners insurance bills for you. Your servicer sends an escrow statement each year, and when taxes or insurance go up, your monthly payment goes up too. The servicer can also hold a cushion of up to two months of those costs.

At closing, the attorneys also adjust taxes between buyer and seller for the part of the period each one owns the home. Confirm your escrow and tax numbers with your lender and attorney.

Fiscal year 2026 to 2027 mill rates for the towns I cover

These are real estate mill rates for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, checked against the state Office of Policy and Management data. Rates change every July, so confirm the current rate with the town.

• Avon: 31.80
• Berlin: 31.15 (plus a fire district in some areas)
• Bloomfield: 34.40 (plus a fire district)
• Branford: 22.16
• Cromwell: 29.28 (plus 3.66 fire district)
• East Haven: 35.78
• Farmington: 27.36
• Hamden: 53.67
• Hartford: 69.95 (homes of one to three units assessed at 36.75 percent)
• Milford: 28.67
• New Haven: 39.96
• North Haven: 30.56
• Orange: 27.40
• Rocky Hill: 31.70
• Simsbury: 33.67 (plus 1.33 fire district)
• South Windsor: 37.01
• West Hartford: 46.77
• West Haven: 25.58 (plus a fire district of 7.78 to 10.90)

Frequently asked questions about Connecticut mill rates and property taxes

How do you calculate property tax in Connecticut?

Multiply the assessed value by the mill rate and divide by 1,000. A Connecticut home assessed at $250,000 at a 31.70 mill rate pays $7,925 a year.

What does a mill rate of 30 mean?

A mill rate of 30 means $30 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. On a $200,000 assessment, that is $6,000 a year.

Is Connecticut property assessed at 70 percent of market value?

Yes. Connecticut assesses real estate at 70 percent of market value as of the town's last revaluation, not the current sale price. Hartford is the exception, assessing homes of one to three units at 36.75 percent.

How often do Connecticut towns do revaluations?

Every Connecticut town must revalue real estate at least every five years, effective October 1. West Hartford, New Haven, East Haven, Orange and Farmington have revaluations effective October 1, 2026, affecting bills due in July 2027.

What is the motor vehicle mill rate cap in Connecticut?

The state caps the motor vehicle mill rate at 32.46, including any fire district or special district tax. Towns with lower real estate rates may charge less on cars.

When are property taxes due in Connecticut?

Most Connecticut towns bill real estate taxes in two installments, due July 1 and January 1, and a few bill annually or quarterly. Payments are late after a one-month grace period, and late interest is 1.5 percent per month.

What is a fire district tax in Connecticut?

A fire district is a separate taxing body in part of a town, and its mill rate is added to the town rate. In West Haven, for example, the 25.58 city rate becomes 33.36 to 36.48 once the fire district is added for fiscal year 2026 to 2027.

Which town has the highest mill rate in Connecticut?

Hartford has the highest real estate mill rate in the state's fiscal year 2026 to 2027 data at 69.95, followed by Hamden at 53.67. Hartford assesses homes of one to three units at 36.75 percent, so its bills are lower than that rate suggests.

Want help with this?

If you are looking at a specific house, I am happy to pull the assessment, check for a district tax or revaluation, and help you build a realistic monthly number. No pressure.

• Send me a message or call or text (917) 231-7390
• Search homes for sale in Connecticut
• Comparing towns? Start with my West Hartford guide, Milford guide or Hamden guide

Rachel Natal, Realtor
Real Broker LLC | Licensed in Connecticut and Massachusetts
100 Pearl St, Hartford, CT 06103

Facts checked October 2026. Sources: Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (mill rate data, revaluation schedule, phase-in overview and motor vehicle mill rate guidance), Connecticut Office of Legislative Research, City of Hartford, City of Milford, Town of Hamden, Town of Bloomfield, City of West Haven, Town of Simsbury, Town of Cromwell, City of New Haven, Town of Orange, Town of South Windsor, Farmington Mercury, CATIC, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

This article is general real estate information. It is not legal, tax, lending or inspection advice. Taxes, assessments, utilities, school assignments and market conditions change, so confirm the details for any specific property with the town and the right licensed professionals.