The effective property tax rate in Harwood Heights rose from 1.9% in 2016 to 2% in 2025, marking an increase of 0.1 percentage points over the past decade, according to BlockShopper.com.
Across Cook County, the average effective property tax rate was 2% in 2025, which was the same as in 2016. In 2025, the rate in Harwood Heights matched the county average.
Out of 136 cities studied in Cook County, Harwood Heights had the 10th smallest change in effective property tax rates during this period.
With its 2% rate in 2025, Harwood Heights was ranked 101st among cities in Cook County for effective property tax rates that year.
This rate is 2.3 times greater than the national average effective property tax rate of 0.888% in the United States in 2024.
National home prices rose in 2025, with the U.S. median reaching roughly $447,000 in June. That figure represents a 1.13% increase from the year before, according to Redfin. The data also revealed a large supply-demand gap, with 36% more homes on the market than buyers—a difference of 508,715 properties. Redfin defines a balanced market as one where buyers and sellers are within 10% of each other.
Even when property tax rates remain steady or fall, homeowners may still face larger tax bills if property values increase. Property taxes are determined by both the rate and a home’s assessed value, so rising prices can raise tax burdens despite rate reductions. In fact, the average effective property tax rate for a median-priced home in the largest city in every state dropped over 5% from 2023 to 2024, according to a Lincoln Institute of Land Policy analysis.
Meanwhile, higher property values have led to a larger tax base in several regions. As property taxes are based on market value, increased home prices can push tax bills up even when rates stay steady or drop. Research also indicates a 1% increase in the median home value is linked to roughly a 0.71% decrease in the effective rate, demonstrating how price increases can lower rates but still generate more tax revenue for governments.
| Year | Effective Property Tax Rate |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 2% |
| 2024 | 2.1% |
| 2023 | 1.8% |
| 2022 | 2% |
| 2021 | 1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.8% |
| 2019 | 1.9% |
| 2018 | 1.8% |
| 2017 | 1.8% |
| 2016 | 1.9% |
Data for this article comes from BlockShopper.com. The original source data is available here.