Hamilton County Sets New Record-Low Property Tax Rate
CHATTANOOGA, TN. (WDEF)— Hamilton County homeowners could soon see some relief on their tax bills.
Mayor Weston Wamp and Assessor of Property Marty Haynes announced a new certified property tax rate of $1.51 per $100 of assessed value—a significant drop from last year’s $2.23. The change comes in response to a recent countywide property reassessment, which caused values to spike across the board.
Haynes emphasized that this rate drop is not optional—it’s required by state law to ensure local governments don’t automatically collect more revenue just because property values rise.
“We’ve had thousands of phone calls,” Haynes said. “But we’ve been telling folks—let’s wait and see what the certified rate is. As values go up compared to 2021, the tax rate has to come down. It’s state law—part of the certified tax rate process.”
Even with the cut, not every homeowner will pay less. Individual tax bills will vary depending on how much a property’s value increased compared to the rest of the county.
Mayor Wamp also cautioned residents not to celebrate too soon. While the county government does not plan to raise rates above the certified level, cities and towns within Hamilton County can still set their own rates, which may impact final tax bills.
“We are not planning to increase the rate above the certified,” Wamp said. “But I can’t control what other municipalities decide to do. Some are planning to raise their rates—and that’s important for residents to know.”
The Hamilton County Commission is expected to vote on the rate and budget later this month.
