Property Tax Rates

The allocated millage, or operating tax rate, supports Ottawa County services such as public safety, veterans services, corrections, elections, public health, courts, vital records, and more. There are also four voter-approved millages in Ottawa County: mental health, roads, parks, and 9-1-1. The Parks is a County department, and the millage funds the office’s operations. Central Dispatch 9-1-1, Community Mental Health, and the Road Commission are separate legal entities, and the tax revenue generated from those millages goes to their organizations.

What is the Ottawa County millage rate?

The allowable millage rate for Ottawa County operations in 2025 was 4.2023 mills, however the Board of Commissioners levied just 3.9 mills. This saved property taxpayers over $5 million annually. When the voter-approved millages are included, the tax rate is 5.3842 mills. Based on the 2025 median Taxable Value of a home ($119,646), the median annual tax bill is approximately $467—or $644 when including voter-approved millages.

How does Ottawa County’s millage rate compare to the rates of other Michigan counties?

Ottawa County’s total millage rate for 2025, including voter-approved millages, is 5.3685 mills — the fourth lowest among all Michigan counties. The County’s allocated tax rate alone is just 3.9 mills, ranking seventh lowest in the state. The lowest voter-approved plus allocated tax rate in Michigan is 3.5548 (Livingston County), and the highest is 15.2793 (Ontonagon County). Neighboring county rates: Kent-6.0037; Muskegon-6.663; Allegan-6.9663.

What tax rate is the Board of Commissioners allowed to levy?

In 2025, the maximum allowable millage rate after the Headlee Rollback is 4.2023 mills. If the Board of Commissioners chooses to maintain the levy at 3.9000 mills, this equates to 0.3023 mills less than the maximum and a taxpayer savings of $5,341,536. Levying less than the maximum allowable demonstrates conservative and prudent fiscal stewardship by the Board of Commissioners.

As of 2024, the most recent data available, Ottawa is one of only seven counties in Michigan that levy less than their allowable rate.

Source:  Michigan Department of Treasury

What are the other millages on my tax bill?

In Michigan, property tax rates—often referred to as millage rates—vary significantly by city, township, school district, and county. Local millage rates can include:

• City, township or village operating costs
• School, state education, and ISD (Intermediate School District) millages
• Senior, library, fire, or other millages
• Special assessments, such as drains

There are several property values on my bill. What do they mean?

• Taxable Value: This value is what your tax bill is based upon. This number is capped under Proposal A (1994), rising only by inflation or 5%, whichever is lower, unless the property is sold. If the property is sold, the taxable value will align with the selling price in the year following the exchange. Improvements like additions or accessory buildings can also increase the taxable value of your property.
• State Equalized Value (Assessed Value): Typically, this number is 50% of market value. Assessments are completed annually and driven by the real estate market. An increase in your assessment means that your property is more valuable than it was the previous year. The good news is that this number, generally higher, is not used to calculate your tax bill.

Why do the millage rates on my bill not match the voter-approved millages?

The Headlee Amendment rolls back, or in other words, reduces the millage rate if property value growth, excluding new construction, exceeds inflation. For example, if inflation is 2% but existing property values rise by 5%, the millage rate is reduced (rolled back) so that total revenue increases by only 2%. This can happen when a property is sold, triggering its Taxable Value to reset and increase to match its State Equalized Value. If the taxable value of the property increases by 30% as a result, this is much higher than inflation. County-wide, the collection of these resets would most likely trigger a “Headlee Rollback” for each millage rate.

How is my property bill calculated?

The equation to determine your tax bill is: taxable value × millage rate ÷ 1,000

Example: 175,000 × 3.9 ÷ 1,000 = $682.50

Find your taxable value.