In short
Missouri assesses a home at 19% of its market value (RSMo 137.115). Local taxing districts then apply their rates per $100 of that assessed value. In the City of St. Louis, the 2025 residential rate is $8.1867 per $100 assessed (City Assessor), which is about $3,336 a year on a $214,500 home. Missouri has no general homestead exemption in the statutes reviewed; relief comes through credits for older and disabled owners.
How is your assessed value set?
The county assessor, or the City Assessor in St. Louis, lists all real property each year. The Constitution allows each class of property to be assessed at a percentage of its value (Art. X, § 4(b)). By statute, residential property is assessed at 19% of true market value, farmland at 12% and commercial property at 32% (RSMo 137.115.5). A house is “residential property” if it is a structure used for residential living (RSMo 137.016).
The assessor sets new values as of January 1 of each odd-numbered year. Those values stay in place for the next even-numbered year, except for new construction and improvements. 2025 was a reassessment year in the City of St. Louis. 2026 values carry forward, with no general revaluation.
The formula is: market value × 19% × rate ÷ 100.
What are the rates in St. Louis?
Rates are quoted per $100 of assessed value. These are the City Assessor’s 2025 residential rates, the latest published in October 2026. The 2026 rates are not yet posted.
| Taxing group | 2025 rate per $100 assessed | Tax on a $214,500 home |
|---|---|---|
| Public schools | 4.9085 | $2,000.46 |
| City of St. Louis | 1.5583 | $635.09 |
| Other districts (library, community college, zoo and museum, children’s services, mental health, senior services, developmental disability, state blind pension) | 1.6454 | $670.58 |
| Sewer district storm capital (residential add-on) | 0.0745 | $30.36 |
| Total residential rate | 8.1867 | $3,336.49 |
The $214,500 home is the 2024 median value of owner-occupied homes in the City of St. Louis (Census Bureau, ACS 1-year). Its assessed value is $40,755 (19%). Your own bill depends on your parcel’s assessed value and taxing districts. In the City of St. Louis, the school district’s share (4.9085 of 8.1867) is the largest piece.
For comparison, the same Census table gives median real estate taxes paid by owner-occupiers in 2024 of $2,195 in the City of St. Louis, $2,021 in Missouri and $3,211 in the United States. Dividing by the median home values ($214,500, $254,400 and $360,600) gives rough ratios of about 1.02%, 0.79% and 0.89%. These are not official effective rates, only a way to compare places.
Is there a homestead exemption or an assessment cap?
No general exemption. The statutes reviewed do not take a fixed amount off every owner’s home value. Relief is through credits:
| Program | Who qualifies | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri Property Tax Credit (“circuit breaker”) | Age 65 or older, certain 100% disabled veterans, disabled persons, and surviving spouses 60 or older who receive survivor Social Security; income limits apply (RSMo 135.010) | A credit on property tax or rent paid, claimed on a state return. For 2026 and later, the lowest-income band can receive up to $1,550, and income caps for owners who occupied the home all year are $42,200 single and $48,000 married (RSMo 135.030) |
| City of St. Louis Senior Property Tax Freeze Credit | Age 62 or older, owner-occupied primary residence in the City, market value $528,392 or less, prior-year taxes paid | Freezes the City part of the bill only, not schools, library or other districts. Apply March 1 to June 30 each year |
| County credit for age 62+ (RSMo 137.1050) | Residents of a county that adopts it by ordinance or vote | Credit equal to the increase over the first credit year |
The City’s own example for 2025: a $100,000 home whose value rose 12% at reassessment received a freeze credit of about $33. The City lists the Homestead Preservation Credit for seniors as no longer available.
No percentage cap. Missouri does not cap how much the assessed value of a home can rise. It does require the assessor to physically inspect a home before raising its assessed value by more than 15% since the last assessment, excluding new construction (RSMo 137.115.10). In the City of St. Louis, the assessor then carries the burden of proving the value does not exceed market value on such an appeal (RSMo 138.060).
How do you appeal an assessment?
Appeals have three levels. Dates below are the City of St. Louis calendar.
- Informal review with the Assessor: May 1 to June 23. Send the parcel number or address to appeal@stlouis-mo.gov. Useful evidence includes a sales contract, an appraisal by a licensed appraiser, sales of comparable properties and photos of defects.
- Board of Equalization: the appeal is due by the second Monday in July. The Board sits until the last Saturday in August. An assessor who raises a value must notify the owner; the notice says the owner may be heard (RSMo 137.180).
- State Tax Commission: appeal by September 30 or 30 days after the Board’s decision, whichever is later (RSMo 138.430 and City Assessor). You need a Board appeal first, with limited exceptions such as a newly purchased property.
An appeal does not postpone the bill. To pay under protest, pay the whole bill before the delinquency date and file a written statement of your grounds with the collector (RSMo 139.031).
When are property taxes due?
| Step | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Value fixed | January 1 | City Assessor |
| Notice of value | By June 15 | City Assessor |
| Tax rates set | September 1 to October 1 | City Assessor |
| Bills created | October | City Assessor |
| Payment deadline | December 31 | City Assessor |
After December 31, the collector adds a penalty set by RSMo 140.100: 18% of the year’s delinquency, with the penalty on land redeemed before a tax sale capped at 2% a month (RSMo 139.100, 140.100). Lenders often collect the tax monthly through an escrow account.
For the costs due when you buy, see closing costs in Missouri and the transfer tax page. For city detail, see the St. Louis guide.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of market value is taxed in Missouri?
Residential real property is assessed at 19% of true market value (RSMo 137.115). Districts then apply their rates per $100 of that assessed value.
What is the property tax rate in St. Louis?
For 2025, the City Assessor publishes a total residential rate of $8.1867 per $100 of assessed value. The 2026 rates were not yet posted as of October 2026.
Does Missouri have a homestead exemption?
Not a general one in the statutes reviewed. Missouri offers credits instead: the state property tax credit for eligible older, disabled and veteran owners, the City of St. Louis senior freeze, and county credits where adopted.
When is the property tax deadline in St. Louis?
December 31. After that date a penalty applies under RSMo 140.100.
Can the assessor raise my value as much as it wants?
There is no percentage cap. Before raising a home’s assessed value by more than 15%, the assessor must inspect it in person. You can appeal to the Board of Equalization and then the State Tax Commission.
Do I owe the prior owner’s taxes when I buy?
The sources read do not say how a closing divides the year; the sales contract decides. The City’s real estate tax receipt lookup shows payment history for a parcel.
Compare with the other states: Property tax by state · Property tax appeal deadlines by state.
More Missouri guides
- Closing costs in Missouri: what buyers and sellers pay
- Real estate transfer tax in Missouri: none, and why
- What must a home seller disclose in Missouri?
- Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Missouri?
- How does foreclosure work in Missouri, and how long does it take?
- Home prices in Missouri and St. Louis: median value and trend
- First-time home buyer programs in Missouri and St. Louis
- How to verify a real estate license in Missouri
Sources
- RSMo 137.115, assessment of real property (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- RSMo 137.016, subclasses of real property (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Missouri Constitution, Article X, Section 4(b) (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- RSMo 137.1050, homestead property tax credit for persons 62 or older (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- RSMo 135.010 and 135.030, property tax credit (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- RSMo 138.060, appeals from the assessor's valuation (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- RSMo 138.430, appeals to the State Tax Commission (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- RSMo 137.180, notice of increased valuation (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- RSMo 139.100 and 140.100, penalty for delinquent taxes (Missouri Revisor of Statutes) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Tax Rates for 2025 (City of St. Louis Assessor) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Deadlines and Dates (City of St. Louis Assessor) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Appeal a Property Assessment (City of St. Louis Assessor) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Apply for or Renew the Senior Property Tax Freeze Credit (City of St. Louis Assessor) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Senior Citizen Property Tax Freeze Credit 2025 Rate Information (City of St. Louis Assessor) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- Property Tax Relief Programs (City of St. Louis Assessor) (consulted October 13, 2026)
- ACS 2024 1-year, tables B25103 and B25077 (U.S. Census Bureau) (consulted October 13, 2026)