Homestead and other property-tax exemptions
Common exemptions that lower the taxable value of a primary home — homestead, senior, veteran and disability — and how they typically work.
Updated Oct 24, 2026
Homestead exemptions
Many states reduce the taxable value of an owner's primary residence by a fixed amount or a percentage. The reduction applies before the rate, so it lowers the bill proportionally.
Homestead status is usually something you apply for once, with a deadline early in the tax year, and it can be lost if the home stops being your primary residence.
Senior, veteran and disability relief
Additional exemptions, freezes or deferrals often exist for older owners, veterans and people with disabilities. Some freeze the assessed value; others defer tax until the home is sold.
Eligibility and amounts are set locally, so two neighboring counties can offer very different relief.
How exemptions show up in the estimator
The calculator on this site lets you subtract an exemption amount from the home value before applying the rate, which mirrors how most exemptions reduce the taxable base. Enter the exemption your jurisdiction grants to see the effect.