Redmond vs Bellevue vs Kirkland vs Bothell: Property Tax Compared for 2026

When you are buying a home on the Eastside, property tax is one cost most people forget to compare. Many buyers assume the tax bill is about the same in every city. It is not. The gap between the lowest and highest city here can mean thousands of dollars every year. This guide breaks down exactly how Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, and Bothell compare on property tax in 2026, and what that means for your monthly budget. Let's explore.

Quick Answer

Based on the 2026 King County Assessor report, Redmond has the lowest city tax rate of these four cities at $0.80 per $1,000 of home value. Kirkland is next at $0.86, then Bellevue at $0.96, and Bothell is the highest at $1.71, more than double Redmond. Your total tax bill also includes school, county, fire, and other local charges on top of the city rate. When all of those are added together, most Redmond homes pay a combined rate of around $7.27 to $8.40 per $1,000. Bothell homes pay $9.30 to $9.74, the highest of the four cities.

Two Numbers You Need to Understand

Your property tax bill is made up of two separate things. It helps to know both before you compare cities.

The first is the city rate. This is the portion the city itself charges. The King County Assessor publishes this number officially every year. It is one clean number per city.

The second is the total combined rate. This is the city rate plus every other charge that applies to your home, state school fund, county, local school district, fire, hospital, library, EMS, Sound Transit, and any special voter-approved levies. This total is different for different streets within the same city. Two homes on different blocks can have different total rates even if they are in the same city.

Both numbers matter. The city rate shows you how cities compare on the part they control. The total combined rate is what actually determines your real tax bill.

To learn how King County calculates rates and what goes into each levy, visit the King County Assessor levy rate overview.

How Do the Four Cities Compare?

The table below shows the official 2026 city rates from the King County Assessor, and the total combined rate ranges for homes in each city.

Source: 2026 King County Codes and Levies — King County Assessor, February 19, 2026. Total rate ranges reflect residential levy code districts for each city. Your specific home may fall outside these ranges depending on its exact location.

Two things stand out. First, Redmond has the lowest city rate at $0.80. Second, Bothell's city rate at $1.71 is more than double Redmond's. That gap shows up in the total rates too. Bothell homes pay $9.30 to $9.74 per $1,000 combined, compared to $7.27 to $8.40 for Redmond.

Why Are the Rates Different?

Redmond is the lowest. Redmond has a large amount of commercial property, mostly tied to the Microsoft campus. Cities with big commercial and business tax bases can spread the tax load more broadly, which can lower the rate for homeowners. This is one reason Redmond's city rate is the lowest of the four.You can confirm Redmond's official city levy components at the King County Assessor 2026 Codes and Levies PDF on page 4 under Cities and Towns Levy Rates.

Bellevue and Kirkland fall in the middle. Bellevue's city rate at $0.96 includes extra voter-approved charges built in. Kirkland at $0.86 sits between the two. Both cities have passed extra levies over the years that push their rates above Redmond's.

Bothell is the highest. Bothell's city rate at $1.71 is by far the highest of the four. Voters recently renewed a Safe Streets and Sidewalks levy and other charges that make up a large part of that rate. On top of that, Bothell sits across two counties, King County to the south and Snohomish County to the north. Homes south of 240th Street SE fall in King County. Homes north of that line fall in Snohomish County. The two counties have different tax structures, so two homes in Bothell can have genuinely different tax bills depending on which side of the line they are on. The combined rate ranges shown in the table above cover only the King County side of Bothell.

What Does This Mean for Your Monthly Budget?

The rate difference between cities is real money. Here is what it looks like in simple dollar terms.

On a $1,200,000 home, the gap between the low end of Redmond ($7.27 per $1,000) and the high end of Bothell ($9.74 per $1,000) is about $2,964 a year,  or roughly $247 a month.

On a $900,000 home, that same gap works out to about $2,223 a year,  or around $185 a month.

That is money worth putting into your mortgage budget before you decide which city to buy in.

One more thing to keep in mind: even within the same city, your rate can vary by address. In Redmond, homes in the 98052 zip code pay an effective rate of around 0.79%. Homes in the 98053 zip code pay around 0.93%, according to Ownwell's parcel-level analysis of King County Redmond data. That gap,  just within Redmond, comes from different school and special district boundaries crossing the same city.

Good and Bad Things About Comparing Cities by Tax Rate

The good:
It gives you a starting point for budgeting across cities. It helps you spot where a new levy may be pushing costs up. It turns a vague cost difference into a real number you can plan around.

The bad:
A lower rate does not always mean a lower total bill. Home prices are different in every city, so a lower rate on a higher-priced home can still cost more than a higher rate on a cheaper home. Rates also change every year as voters approve new levies. And tax rate tells you nothing about schools, commute time, or what it is actually like to live there,  which usually matter more.

Who Should Pay the Most Attention to This?

First-time buyers stretched across multiple cities will feel the rate difference the most, every dollar counts when you are already at your limit.

Families moving from out of state may not expect property tax to vary this much within the same metro area. Treat it as a real line item, not a rounding error.

Investors comparing rental returns across cities need the actual rate for the specific home, not a citywide average.

Buyers at higher price points will see the dollar gap between cities grow even if the percentage gap stays the same.

Downsizers selling in one city and buying in another should run the tax math on both sides before assuming they will come out ahead.

What We Have Seen After 32 Years on the Eastside

We have seen many buyers pick a city based on home price alone, then get surprised a year later when their tax bill is higher than a neighbor in a different city. The rate matters, but it is only one part of the picture. The smartest move is always to pull the exact rate for the specific address you are considering before you commit. A citywide average is a starting point, not a final answer.

Final Thoughts

These four cities are not as close on property tax as most buyers think, especially when Bothell is in the picture. Redmond sits lowest at $0.80 per $1,000 on the city rate. Kirkland and Bellevue fall in the middle at $0.86 and $0.96. Bothell runs far higher at $1.71 on the city rate alone, with total home rates reaching nearly $9.74 per $1,000 in parts of the city. Never rely on a citywide average alone. Pull the exact rate for the specific address you are considering in Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, or Bothell before you decide. If you are just getting started, our buyer resources page and seller resources page are good next stops.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these four cities has the lowest property tax rate in 2026?
Redmond has the lowest official city rate at $0.80 per $1,000 of home value, according to the 2026 King County Assessor report.

Which city has the highest rate?
Bothell. Its city rate alone is $1.71 per $1,000, more than double Redmond's. Its total combined residential rates run from $9.30 to $9.74 per $1,000, the highest of the four cities.

Does a lower rate always mean a lower tax bill?
No. Home prices are different across these cities. A lower rate on a more expensive home can still produce a higher dollar bill than a higher rate on a cheaper one. Always check the rate for the specific home you are buying.

Why does Bothell have the highest rates?
Two reasons. First, Bothell has passed several voter-approved levies,  including a recently renewed Safe Streets and Sidewalks levy,  that push its city rate well above the others. Second, Bothell sits across King and Snohomish counties, and each county has a different tax structure. Two homes in Bothell can have different bills depending on which county they are in.

How often do these rates change?
Every year. New voter-approved levies, reassessments, and school district budgets can all shift the rate. Always check the current rate for the year you are buying.

Can I look up the exact rate for one specific address?

Yes. The King County Assessor publishes levy codes by address at kingcounty.gov. For a Bothell address, first confirm which county the home is in. Any local agent can pull this for you before you make an offer.

Should I pick a city based on tax rate alone?

No. Tax rate is one factor among many. Schools, commute, lifestyle, and home prices all matter more for most buyers. Use the tax rate to inform your budget, not to decide your city.

Do condos and single-family homes pay different rates?

The rate itself is the same for both. The dollar amount differs because condos and houses have different assessed values.

Why does Redmond's rate differ between zip codes?

Different parts of Redmond fall into different levy districts with slightly different school and special district charges. The 98052 zip code has an effective rate of around 0.79% and the 98053 zip code runs around 0.93%, according to Ownwell's Redmond parcel data.

Where can I read more about Bellevue property tax?

Our existing guide, Understanding Bellevue Property Taxes: A Guide for Investors, covers that city in more depth.

About the Author

George Moorhead is the founder of Bentley Properties and a licensed real estate agent serving Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Bothell, and the greater Eastside Seattle market for over thirty-two years. He has guided hundreds of buyers and sellers through property decisions across King County, including helping clients understand how levy codes, school district boundaries, and city-specific tax structures affect the true cost of homeownership on the Eastside. For a no-obligation consultation on buying or selling in Redmond or any Eastside city, contact George directly at georgemoorhead.com.