Stearns County, MN Property Tax Rate
Homeowners in Stearns County pay an effective 1.02% of home value in property tax — about $2,616 a year on the median $256,500 home, above the Minnesota county median of 0.99%.
Stearns County, MN: 1.02% effective property tax — ~$2,616/yr on the median home.
- Effective rate1.02%
- Median home value$256,500
- Median annual bill$2,616
- MN county median0.99%
- U.S. county median0.84%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2023 5-year (median taxes paid ÷ median value), compiled June 2026.
Stearns County vs. Minnesota and the U.S.
| Effective rate | On the county's $256,500 median home | |
|---|---|---|
| Stearns County | 1.02% | $2,616 |
| Minnesota county median | 0.99% | $2,539 |
| U.S. county median | 0.84% | $2,155 |
Median household income here is $76,447, putting the median tax bill at about 3.4% of income. Effective rates fold in homestead exemptions and assessment practice — they're what owners actually pay, which is why they beat statutory rates for comparison.
Highest & lowest rates in Minnesota
| County | Effective rate | Median bill |
|---|---|---|
| Ramsey County | 1.24% | $3,781 |
| Pennington County | 1.22% | $2,305 |
| Steele County | 1.21% | $2,834 |
| Waseca County | 1.19% | $2,537 |
| Aitkin County | 0.57% | $1,340 |
| Cass County | 0.58% | $1,521 |
| Lake of the Woods County | 0.71% | $1,526 |
| Rock County | 0.72% | $1,452 |
Full picture: Minnesota property tax calculator · interactive county atlas · all county pages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in Stearns County, MN?
The effective rate is about 1.02% of home value — the median homeowner pays roughly $2,616 a year on a $256,500 median home (ACS 2023 five-year data).
Is Stearns County's property tax high?
It's above the Minnesota county median (0.99%) and above the U.S. county median (0.84%).
How is the effective rate calculated?
Median real-estate taxes paid ÷ median home value, from the Census American Community Survey — what owners actually pay, after exemptions, rather than the statutory millage.
Sources & methodology
Sources: Census ACS 2023 5-year tables B25103/B25077.
Effective rate = median real-estate taxes ÷ median home value (owner-occupied). Individual bills vary with exemptions, assessment timing and local levies — verify with the county assessor.