Homeowners in Kent County, DE pay a median $1,363 a year in property taxes, about 0.43% of the median home value of $316,600.
Data reviewed · ACS 2024 · Mortgage rates weekly · Methodology
Based on what homeowners in Kent County pay: median taxes paid divided by median home value. Your bill depends on your assessed value and local levies; check your latest tax bill to compare.
Enter any purchase price to see the full cost breakdown for Kent County.
Everything due at closing plus your first twelve months of ownership. The detail is below.
Your numbers as a one-page PDF: $316,600 home, 20% down, 30-year loan at this week's 7.24%. Rates move every week; the PDF keeps today's.
Moderate flood risk. Some neighborhoods require flood insurance. Check your property at msc.fema.gov.
All figures are estimates for planning purposes only. Mortgage payment assumes a 30-year fixed rate of 7.24%, the Freddie Mac PMMS average for the week ending October 29, 2026. Your lender will confirm the actual rate. Closing costs vary by lender and transaction. Consult a licensed real estate attorney and lender before making any financial decisions.
Kent County's 0.43% median tax-to-value ratio ranks 284th lowest among the 3,134 US counties tracked, placing it in the bottom 10% lowest nationally. Within Delaware's 3 counties, it's the 2nd highest. On the county's median home value of $316,600, the typical homeowner pays $1,363 annually in property tax, $266 less than the national median of $1,629. At closing, Delaware's 4.00% combined real estate transfer tax adds roughly $12,664 on a median-priced home, split between buyer and seller. About 9.6% of the county lies within a FEMA flood hazard zone, worth checking msc.fema.gov for any specific address before buying.
Ways buyers in Kent County may reduce their annual property tax. These programs apply statewide; verify county specifics with your local assessor.
Homeowners 65+ receive a 50% credit against school property tax on their primary residence, capped at $500 (raised to $1,000 for tax years beginning Jan 1, 2026). 10-year Delaware residency required.
View official source →100% credit against non-vocational school district property taxes on a primary residence for veterans with a 100% VA service-connected disability rating. Cannot be combined with the senior credit.
View official source →First-time Delaware home buyers receive a 0.5% reduction in the buyer's share of the state realty transfer tax on the first $400,000 of purchase price.
View official source →Last verified April 2026. Exemption amounts and eligibility change frequently. Always confirm with your county assessor before claiming.
Answers to common questions about buying a home in Kent County.
Homeowners in Kent County pay a median $1,363 a year in property taxes, from 2024 US Census ACS 5-year estimates. There is no single property tax rate for Kent County. The 0.43% figure commonly quoted is a county-wide median: the median annual property tax paid ($1,363) divided by the median home value ($316,600), from 2024 US Census ACS 5-year estimates. It is a statistic describing the county, not a rate levied on any particular property. Your own bill depends on your assessed value, the millage set by your overlapping taxing districts, any homestead or senior exemptions you qualify for, and special assessments. One thing to watch: the median reflects taxes actually paid by current owners, many of whom hold homestead exemptions and assessment caps, so a new buyer paying today's market price often pays more than 0.43% of the purchase price.
Delaware's combined real estate transfer tax is approximately 4.00% of the purchase price. On the median Kent County home value of $316,600, this adds roughly $12,664 at closing. Total combined rate 4% (state 2.5% + local 1.5%) in New Castle County, split 50/50 between buyer and seller by custom. Kent County total 3%, Sussex County total 3.5%. First-time DE buyers receive reduction on the buyer half.
Only in parts. About 9.6% of Kent County's land area is within a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area. Most homes are outside these zones, but worth verifying the specific address at msc.fema.gov.
On Kent County's median home value of $316,600 with 20% down, buyer closing costs work out to roughly $4,747–$8,978, or 1.5–2.8% of the purchase price. That covers title insurance $800–$2,000; loan origination fee $1,266–$2,533; home appraisal $400–$700; home inspection $350–$600; real estate attorney $600–$1,500; recording fees $100–$300; prepaid mortgage interest $754; homeowners insurance (2 months) $250; property tax escrow (2-3 months) $227–$341. Transfer tax is listed separately. These are national ranges for each line item rather than Kent County quotes, so treat them as a planning range and use the calculator above for your own purchase price.
Every county-specific figure on this page links to the exact public dataset it comes from. Verify the numbers yourself against the original source.
Source for the $1,363/yr median taxes paid (ACS 2024 5-year estimates, variable B25103_001E).
Source for the $316,600 median home value (variable B25077_001E). The 0.43% median tax-to-value ratio is median taxes paid divided by median home value.
Source for the transfer tax used in the calculator (buyer 2.00%, seller 2.00%). Verified April 2026.
Source for the county's flood hazard exposure (coastal and inland flood exposure area as a share of county area).
The national dataset behind the county report, including its technical documentation and release notes.
Look up a specific property's flood zone and insurance rate map before making an offer on a home in Kent County.
Closing cost line items are national ranges, not county data. The methodology lists each range's source and the calculator's assumptions (mortgage rate, insurance, PMI).
Delaware property tax exemptions: official sources
Verified April 2026.
What every buyer should read before making an offer.
Seven signs in an HOA's budget, reserve study, minutes and insurance that raise the risk of a special assessment, the numbers behind each, and what to ask.
Read the guide →Your HOA resale packet holds the CC&Rs, budget, reserve study and minutes. What each one says, where the costly rules hide, and the order to read them in.
Read the guide →An HOA capped rentals at 10 of 50 homes and grandfathered the existing landlords. How to find rental restrictions before closing, and what they cost you.
Read the guide →