Property Taxes & Mill Levy

Understanding Your Property Taxes

Your property tax bill is based on the Assessed Value of your property and the property tax rate (aka the Mill Levy Rate).

Property Taxes & Home Values

The Mill Levy Rate is the only influence the City has on your tax bill; in the last six years, the City has consistently lowered the Mill Rate. 

If the mill rate is dropping, then why am I paying more in property taxes?

Because home Appraised Values, which are set by the county, are skyrocketing! An increase in Appraised Value means an increase in your Assessed Value, which is what the Mill Rate is applied to in order to calculate your tax bill. The City, alone, cannot offset the annual increase on your tax bill without sharply decreasing services.

Appraised Value

The Appraised Value represents the market value of the property, which is decided by the Johnson County Appraiser's Office. The property location, topography, size, shape, quality, age, condition, and similar nearby properties are all taken into account.

Assessed Value - 11.5%

The Assessed Value is the actual value on which you pay taxes and is equal to 11.5% of the Appraised Value of your home. 11.5% is the State of Kansas' fixed assessment percentage on residential properties.

Mill Levy Rate

The Mill Levy tax rate is applied by taxing jurisdictions (like the City, County, school district, fire district, and the State) to raise revenue to cover their budgets and pay for public services. The Mill Rate of each jurisdiction is multiplied by your home's Assessed Value to give you an estimated tax bill.

The City of De Soto influences approximately 13% of your total property tax bill. The rest goes to...

• USD 232 School District
• Johnson County
• Northwest Consolidated Fire District
• State of Kansas
• Other Taxing Entities

The Mill Levy Rate (.020905) is more commonly referred to in "mills." A mill is equivalent to one-thousandth of a dollar; for every $1,000 in Assessed Value, you - as the property owner - pay $1, per mill.