San Diego County · Property taxes
Property taxes in San Diego County
Property tax in San Diego County: the range of tax rates from the county's table and the state rules, with a link to every source.
Key points
San Diego County property tax: total rates 1.019% to 2.0224% across 2589 tax rate areas (FY 2025-26), the levies behind it and the Prop 13 rules, with the county source. The county sets and collects the tax.
Each block below is marked county or state data, San Diego County code or CA state law, and links to its source (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
San Diego County's code applies in the unincorporated areas of the county. Cities in San Diego County have their own codes and their own pages.
Tax rates in this area
County rate table The county lists 2589 tax rate areas in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County for fiscal year 2025-26. Their total rate runs from 1.019% to 2.0224% of assessed value.
The total is the 1% general tax (Proposition 13) plus the rates voters approved for school, city and other bonds. It does not include fixed charges such as Mello-Roos special taxes, parcel taxes or assessments, which come on the same bill.
Your exact rate depends on your address. Look up the rate for an address → Source: San Diego County rate table, fiscal year 2025-26.
Across the whole county (5,165 tax rate areas, cities included) the total rate runs from 1.019% to 2.0224%.
| City | Range | Rate areas |
|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad | 1.0683% – 1.1425% | 140 |
| Del Mar | 1.0384% – 1.0638% | 15 |
| El Cajon | 1.1711% – 1.181% | 161 |
| Encinitas | 1.0314% – 1.0753% | 423 |
| Escondido | 1.0732% – 1.1586% | 247 |
| Imperial Beach | 1.2038% | 6 |
| La Mesa | 1.196% – 1.2866% | 56 |
| Lemon Grove | 1.2716% | 46 |
| National City | 1.1738% – 1.2488% | 55 |
| Oceanside | 1.0457% – 1.1295% | 73 |
| Poway | 1.05% – 1.1281% | 229 |
| San Diego | 1.031% – 1.2821% | 215 |
| San Marcos | 1.0674% – 1.1425% | 230 |
| Santee | 1.0971% – 1.1902% | 85 |
The state rules underneath
CA state law California law sets this statewide. 1% property tax limit (Prop 13): The general property tax on real property may not exceed 1% of its full cash value; voter-approved bond debt is levied on top (Cal. Const. art. XIII A, § 1(a), (b)). 2% annual cap on assessed value: The base year value rises each year by the California CPI change, but never more than 2% (Rev. & Tax. Code § 51(a)(1)(D)). California property tax rules — the full state rule →
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in San Diego County?
The county lists 2589 tax rate areas in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County for fiscal year 2025-26. Their total rate runs from 1.019% to 2.0224% of assessed value. The exact rate depends on the address.
General information, not legal advice.
Ask about a specific San Diego County property
Ask GoCodebook how these rules apply to your address and get an answer that cites the section.
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