DuPage County Property Taxes - 🎯 2024 Ultimate Guide & What You Need to Know [Rates, Lookup, Payments & Dates] (2024)

Last Updated on: 4th January 2024, 09:12 am

Illinois has one of the most complex and confusing property tax systems in the country. In most states, you may pay property taxes to just one to three taxing bodies. In Illinois, there are almost 7,000 local taxing bodies! Your tax bill may include separate property tax rates paid to everything from the county, township, city, and school district to park, fire protection, sanitary, and even mosquito abatement districts!

This high number of taxing districts is one reason Illinois ranks #2 for the highest property taxes in America – with DuPage County second in the state!

Are you confused by your tax bill after moving to Illinois? Are you thinking about buying a house and want to understand DuPage property taxes or find an affordable place to live? This complete guide to DuPage County property taxes covers everything from assessments, tax rates, and taxing districts to appealing your bill and paying your taxes.

DuPage County Property Taxes | Overview & General Information

Property taxes in DuPage County, IL are assessed and collected through a complex cycle.

• #1. Property values are assessed by the county clerk and, with the Illinois Department of Revenue, applies an equalization factor. The assessed value (taxable value) is 33% of the fair market value of the property.
• #2. Taxing districts pass budgets and set levies or tax rates which are delivered to the county clerk. Taxing districts include counties, cities or towns, townships, school districts, park districts, and much more.
• #3. The county clerk calculates tax rates for every combination of taxing districts in DuPage County. These combinations are tax code areas.
• #4. The County Treasurer is the DuPage County property tax collector. They prepare and mail tax bills, collect taxes, and distribute the money to taxing districts.

The DuPage County Treasurer is Gwen Henry.

DuPage County Treasurer, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187-2553 (630) 407-5900

Where Your Property Taxes Go

Your property taxes support local services and amenities. Here is a breakdown for where DuPage property taxes go on average.

• Schools: 73.2%
• Cities: 9.84%
• Fire and others: 5.64%
• Parks: 5.14%
• County: 2.52%
• Forest preserve: 2.0%
• Townships: 1.66%

Below, you can see the tax distribution for a home in Naperville in Lisle Township.

The county government receives less than $0.03 from every $1 in property taxes it collects. This is used to provide public safety (jails, the county court system, and the sheriff’s department), county clerk services, county road maintenance, sewer and water service for unincorporated areas, stormwater management, and more.

DuPage County Property Tax Search

You can use the DuPage County property tax lookup tool to view:

• Property tax records including payment history and current taxes due
• Detailed tax history that includes exemptions, tax rates, and the property tax code
• Property tax distribution
• Assessment information
• Sales history

This tool is useful when buying a house in the county. Check the address to see the current tax rate, see how much you can expect to pay in taxes, and more.

DuPage County Property Tax Rates

Be prepared for high tax rates after buying a house in DuPage! Your tax rate will be based on your home’s equalized assessed value and the combined rate of multiple taxing districts in your tax code area.

How Much Are Property Taxes in DuPage County, IL?

Illinois does not have set property tax rates. Instead, your tax bill will be based on your home’s equalized assessed value (EAV) and the rates set each year by your local taxing districts based on their budget.

The average DuPage tax rate for the 2020 tax season was 7.3825. The average EAV for 2020 was $103,380 for an average property tax bill of $7,632.03.

Glendale Heights had the highest average property tax rate of 9.9167 in 2020 but an average tax bill of $5,548.67. In Bartlett, the average property tax rate of 9.0406 resulted in an average bill of $7,868.94 due to higher assessed values.

How do DuPage taxes compare?

• Average DuPage County property tax bill: $7,632
• Average Hardin County property tax bill: $447 (lowest in Illinois)
• Median Chicago (Cook County) property tax bill: $3,341
• Average Illinois property tax bill: $4,942
• Average U.S. property tax bill: $2,471

Here you can see 2020 DuPage County property taxes by city.

How Are DuPage County Property Taxes Calculated?

Here is how to calculate DuPage County property taxes.

1. Multiply the property’s fair market value by the assessed rate of 33% to get an assessed value.
2. The assessed value is multiplied by the State Equalization Factor to make sure tax assessments are “equalized”. If average sales prices were higher or lower than 33% of assessed values, the previous value will be adjusted. This factor is usually 1. This gives you your Equalized Assessed Value (EAV).
3. If you qualify for an exemption, it is subtracted from your EAV.
4. Your adjusted EAV is multiplied by the aggregate property tax rate and divided by 100 to give you your total property taxes.

The median home price in DuPage County is $335,000. The assessed value will be $110,550 assuming it does not need to be equalized. The standard homestead exemption is $6,000 which reduces the assessed value to $104,550.

The average DuPage tax rate for the 2020 tax season was 7.3825. This gives you a property tax of $7,718.40 ($104,550 x 7.3825 / 100).

Your aggregate tax rate is determined by your tax code. In Naperville, for instance, there are eight tax codes. School taxing districts vary and not all tax codes are assessed the Naperville city, parks district, or library district tax. Tax rates ranged from 5.7638 to 6.8643.

With an assessed value of $104,550 (example above), your property taxes in Naperville would range from $6,026.05 to $7,176.63 depending on the location in the city.

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Taxing Districts & Your DuPage Property Tax Bill

Most people in the U.S. pay taxes to one or two local government bodies: county and city/town/village governments. There may be a separate property tax for the school district and sometimes special assessments or districts. However, the county and city use funds to pay for community services and amenities like roads, parks, and libraries.

In Illinois, it works very differently. You likely have three local government taxing districts: county, city or village, and township plus up to one dozen or more special taxing districts that may include transportation, schools, parks, libraries, fire protection, pension funds, and even mosquito abatement.

Below, you can see a sample DuPage County property tax bill for Wheaton, IL in Wayne township. There are 23 separate taxing districts with 23 different property tax rates!

Want to learn more about DuPage taxing districts? Here are helpful resources.

• 2020 DuPage County Tax Rate Booklet. This includes a full list of taxing districts in the county with their tax rates.
• Illinois Special Purpose Districts Fact Sheet. This guide explains some of the most common special tax districts and whether they can levy taxes, issue bonds, and more.
• Tax Distribution Lookup. Search for the name of your district or district ID to see how property tax funds are distributed.

Special Service Area Taxes – Another Part of Your Property Tax Bill!

Under Illinois law, a “Special Service Area” can be created within a county, city, or village in which special services or major physical improvements are provided. An SSA can be created to finance these improvements or services without levying a tax on the entire municipality or incurring debt.

An SSA tax is a 10- to 20-year bond tied to properties within the Special Service Area to pay for the service or improvement. The bond is paid off with the SSA tax rate that’s based on the assessed value of your property. The SSA assessment may range from $200 to $3,000 per year. The tax rate will depend on:

• The size of the bond
• The assessed valuation of properties in the SSA
• The interest rate
• The length of the bond

For instance, the DuPage County SSA #34 had a rate of 0.8408 in 2019. This SSA was formed for the Hobson Valley Water System Improvement Project near Woodridge, IL. The bond was issued in 2009 for $1.88 million with an interest rate of 3.0% to 4.75%.

Once the tax is levied, it is set for a specific amount of time and remains with the property.

If you are buying a home in Illinois, make sure you check the property’s tax history! You can see the SSA assessment on the property tax bill. You will be able to see how much longer the tax is levied.

DuPage County Property Tax Payments | How to Pay DuPage County Property Taxes

Here’s everything you need to know about paying property taxes in DuPage.

When Are DuPage County Property Taxes Due?

DuPage property taxes are due in two installments:

• First installment due June 1
• Second installment due September 1

Late taxes are subject to a 1-1/2% interest rate charged monthly.

Where to Pay DuPage County Property Taxes

You can pay property taxes online by using the property lookup tool here. If taxes are due, you will see a “Pay Now” button. You can pay with a credit card or with a checking or savings account. There is a 2.10% convenience fee to pay with a credit card.

To pay your taxes in person, you can visit the treasurer’s office Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm or leave your payment in the drop box. Payments can be made with a debit or credit card, check, or cash.

DuPage County Treasurer’s Office, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187

To pay by mail, use the payment coupons included with your property tax bill and a check made payable to “DuPage County Collector” with the property index number written on the memo line. Mail property tax payments to:

DuPage County Collector

Bill Payment Center

PO Box 4203

Carol Stream, IL 60197

There are a few other ways to pay property taxes:

• Pay by phone by calling 1-844-775-5615
• Pay by wire transfer by contacting the county at allcollector@dupageco.org for instructions
• Use your bank’s online bill pay to have a check sent
• Pay taxes at a participating bank in DuPage County through September 1.

If you need a copy of your tax bill (duplicate bill) go to the County property lookup page and print one out.

Payment Plans for DuPage Property Taxes

If you do not have a mortgage and an escrow account, you may find it more convenient to pay your property taxes monthly or periodically. You will need to be current on your taxes and begin prepaying taxes for the next year. You can register for the tax prepayment program here.

What Happens if You Don’t Pay Your Property Taxes? | DuPage Property Tax Liens & Late Penalties

Property taxes are due in June and September for the previous tax year. The day after each installment is due, interest is charged at 1-1/2% per month on the delinquent balance. If you do not pay your taxes, the overdue tax amount becomes a lien on your property.

During the annual tax sale, property taxes for the previous tax year are offered for sale. If taxes are delinquent for three or more years, the debt can be offered through a scavenger sale. At least 15 days before the sale, the property owner must receive a mailed notice.

When someone buys the delinquent tax debt, they do not purchase the title to the home and instead receive a certificate of purchase representing the lien.

You have up to the day immediately before the sale to pay all delinquent taxes and other costs to stop the sale. After the sale, the property owner has up to 2.5 years to redeem the property and keep the home. If the home isn’t redeemed, the purchaser can receive the title or deed to the home.

Additional DuPage County Property Tax Information

Here is additional information on property taxes in the county including how to appeal your tax bill or assessed value and exemptions that lower your tax liability.

How to Appeal Property Taxes in DuPage County

Assessments can be appealed within 30 days of the publication of the township assessment roll. An appeal attempts to prove that the property’s market value is overstated or higher than the estimated value of similar properties.

The assessment appeal form can be downloaded here. It must be submitted in duplicate with supporting documents including three or more comparable properties.

The Board of Review will hold a hearing and mail a written decision. If you are not satisfied, the decision can be appealed to the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board.

DuPage County Property Tax Exemptions

Property tax exemptions reduce your equalized assessed value (EAV) to reduce your tax bill.

The General Homestead Exemption (GHE) is a $6,000 exemption for a single-family owner-occupied home. There are higher exemptions granted to qualifying property owners:

• Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption: $5,000 ($11,000 with general homestead exemption)
• Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (SCAFHE): freezes the EAV to prevent increases in assessed value
• Persons with Disabilities Homestead Exemption: $2,000
• Veterans with Disabilities Exemption for Specially Adapted Housing: up to $100,000
• Standard Homestead Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities: $2,500, $5,000, or 100% exemption based on service-related disability rating
• Homestead Improvement Exemption: $25,000
• Returning Veterans’ Homestead Exemption: $5,000 for two years
• Natural Disaster Homestead Exemption

DuPage Property Taxes FAQ

What is the tax rate in DuPage County, IL?

There is no set DuPage tax rate. Your tax rate is an aggregate of up to one dozen or more rates set by local taxing districts based on their operating needs. For 2020 taxes (paid in 2021), the average tax rate was 7.3825 per $100 of assessed value. The average property tax bill in DuPage County was $7,632.03 in 2021.

Are property taxes high in DuPage County, IL?

Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the U.S. and DuPage County ranks #2 for highest property taxes in Illinois by county. The county is behind only Lake County. The average tax bill is $7,632.

When are DuPage County property taxes mailed out?

Your DuPage County Property tax bill is mailed out on April 30. This is the only bill you will be sent.

When are DuPage County property taxes due?

Your taxes are due in two installments. The first installment is due June 1 and the second installment is due September 1.

Can I look up my DuPage County property taxes online?

You can look up your property taxes and tax history using this property lookup tool. You will need the property address or PIN.

Can I pay my DuPage County property taxes online?

You can pay your property taxes online using this property lookup page. Online payments can be made with a credit card or a savings or checking account.

How do I find my property index number?

Your property index number (PIN) or parcel number can be found on your tax assessment notice or your property tax bill. Your Township Assessor can also use your property address to look up your PIN.

At what age do you stop paying property taxes in Illinois?

A DuPage County senior citizen property tax exemption can lower the tax liability for seniors 65 and older on their primary home. However, seniors in Illinois are always liable for property taxes. The only way to stop paying taxes is through the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program that works like a loan against the home. Seniors can defer part or all of their taxes which the state recovers (plus 6% annual interest) when the property is transferred or sold.

Now that you have a better idea of how DuPage property taxes work (and you are hopefully prepared for the high tax rates!), are you ready to buy a home in the area? Once you’ve chosen a neighborhood or you are under contract, Federal Companies is here to help with an uncomplicated and easy moving experience!