Last updated 2026-07-10
TL;DR
A Connecticut mill rate is the dollars of tax per $1,000 of assessed value. Multiply your assessed value by the mill rate and divide by 1,000 to get your annual tax bill. Rates run from about 11.59 mills in Greenwich to 74.29 mills in Hartford. Each of the 169 towns sets its own rate, and the state resets values every five years through revaluation.
What is a mill rate and how does it work in Connecticut?
One mill equals one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. That's the whole formula. Connecticut towns set their mill rates once a year when they adopt their budgets, and the rate on your bill converts to a decimal for the math (35 mills becomes 0.035).
Here's the arithmetic. Connecticut law puts property on the grand list at 70 percent of fair market value [1]. So if your home would sell for $400,000, the assessor records the assessed value as $280,000. At a mill rate of 35, the annual tax is $280,000 × 0.035 = $9,800.
That 70 percent ratio is fixed in statute. It applies to real property statewide, and the assessor does not get to pick a different number.
Two inputs drive your bill: the assessed value the assessor assigns and the mill rate the town sets. You can fight the assessed value through an appeal. You cannot appeal the mill rate itself, because a town's legislative body (a Board of Finance or town council) sets it. Plenty of homeowners miss that distinction, and it decides where you should spend your effort before you touch a single form.
What are the current Connecticut mill rates for 2024 to 2025?
Connecticut has 169 municipalities, and each one sets its own rate. The range is wide. Below is a snapshot of selected towns for the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year (grand list of October 1, 2023 for most towns, October 1, 2024 for some). These figures come from the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management's annual mill rate compilation [2].
| Town | Mill Rate (FY 2024 to 25) |
|---|---|
| Hartford | 74.29 |
| Bridgeport | 54.37 |
| Waterbury | 60.21 |
| New Haven | 43.88 |
| Hamden | 55.16 |
| Stratford | 35.71 |
| Milford | 26.75 |
| New Britain | 49.50 |
| Stamford | 24.16 |
| Greenwich | 11.59 |
| West Hartford | 41.80 |
| Norwalk | 26.72 |
These are the figures OPM published in its mill rate survey [2]. A few towns were still finalizing budgets when OPM released the list. If your tax bill shows a small discrepancy, check with your assessor or tax collector, because a fire district or other special district charge can add fractions on top of the base rate.
The spread is not random. It reflects the grand list (the total taxable value in town) measured against the budget the town has to fund. A small grand list against a large budget forces a higher rate. Hartford is the starkest case. The city holds a large share of tax-exempt property (state buildings, hospitals, universities), which shrinks the taxable base and pushes the rate up [3].
Hamden's 55.16 draws attention because the town carries heavy pension obligations that keep the budget high even though property values are only moderate. Milford runs low by comparison, helped by a strong commercial base along the Post Road corridor that carries part of the load.
What is the Hamden CT mill rate for 2025?
Hamden's mill rate for fiscal year 2024 to 2025 is 55.16 mills [2]. That ranks among the highest in New Haven County. On a home assessed at $200,000 (a $285,000 market value property at the 70 percent ratio), the annual tax comes to $11,032.
Hamden ran a revaluation effective October 1, 2021, its first in five years. Revaluations reset assessed values to current market levels, which usually pushes values up for a lot of homeowners. The town phased in part of the increase. Even so, higher assessed values stacked on a stubbornly high mill rate mean many Hamden owners pay more than neighbors in Woodbridge (mill rate roughly 34) or North Haven (roughly 29) on comparable homes.
If you own in Hamden and your assessed value looks off, the appeal deadline is February 20 following the October 1 grand list date, filed with the Board of Assessment Appeals [4]. That window is firm. Miss it and you wait a year.
What is the Milford CT mill rate for 2025?
Milford's mill rate for fiscal year 2024 to 2025 is 26.75 mills [2]. That's one of the lower rates in New Haven County and well under the county's largest cities.
Milford is a mid-sized city with residential neighborhoods and a real commercial strip that carries part of the grand list. Here's the practical effect. A home with a $300,000 assessed value (roughly a $430,000 market value home) pays $8,025 a year in property tax. A similar home in Hamden would owe about $16,548. Same county, wildly different bill.
Milford's last revaluation was also effective October 1, 2021. If you haven't checked your assessed value against recent sales since then, pull your property card from the Milford Assessor's office [5]. The market moved enough between 2021 and now that some properties sit over-assessed against current sales.
What is the Stratford CT mill rate for 2025?
Stratford's mill rate for fiscal year 2024 to 2025 is 35.71 mills [2]. Stratford sits in Fairfield County, which generally runs lower than the New Haven County cities, but it lands on the higher end for Fairfield because a chunk of older industrial property and some tax-exempt parcels hold the grand list down.
A home assessed at $175,000 (roughly a $250,000 market-value property) owes $6,249 a year in Stratford. Neighboring Trumbull runs around 34 mills, so the two are close. Bridgeport, just to the west, tops 54 mills, which makes Stratford look favorable by comparison even though its rate has crept up in recent years.
Stratford completed a revaluation effective October 1, 2022. If you bought or made significant improvements after that date, ask the assessor how the new construction hit your card. Additions sometimes go in at higher unit costs than the surrounding neighborhood supports.
How does Connecticut's revaluation cycle affect the mill rate?
Connecticut requires a full statistical revaluation at least every five years, with a physical revaluation (inspectors actually walk the property) at least every ten years, under CGS Section 12-62 [6]. A revaluation updates assessed values across the whole grand list at once.
Here's what almost nobody explains clearly. When a revaluation lands, the town usually drops the mill rate to keep revenue roughly flat. If assessed values town-wide climb 20 percent, the town doesn't need a 20 percent higher rate to collect the same money, so the rate falls. What happens to your bill depends on whether your property rose more or less than the town average.
Say your home jumped 30 percent in a revaluation where the town average was 20 percent. You'll pay more even though the mill rate dropped. That's the thing to watch. Ask the assessor for the town-wide average change, then compare it to your own property card. A bigger jump than average is a flag worth chasing.
Revaluation years also produce more appeals, because big assessment swings are visible and feel unfair even when they're accurate. Every town's Board of Assessment Appeals sees its caseload spike in those years.
Why do mill rates vary so much between Connecticut towns?
Three factors drive the gap between 11 mills in Greenwich and 74 mills in Hartford.
First, the size and makeup of the grand list. A town with high property values and a large commercial base collects more revenue per mill. Greenwich has extremely high residential values plus a business district that carries a lot of the grand list, so it funds services at a low rate. Hartford's grand list is depressed by a large share of tax-exempt property. A Lincoln Institute of Land Policy study of Connecticut municipalities found Hartford had roughly 56 percent of its property value in tax-exempt status in recent years [3]. That alone forces the rate up sharply.
Second, spending obligations. Towns with large unfunded pension liabilities, aging infrastructure, or high-need schools spend more. Bridgeport, Waterbury, and Hamden all carry heavy long-term obligations that keep budgets high no matter the grand list.
Third, state aid. Connecticut sends municipalities Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants, PILOT payments (Payment in Lieu of Taxes for tax-exempt state and college property), and other aid [7]. Towns that get more aid can hold the rate down. Hartford and New Haven receive substantial aid, part of why their rates aren't even higher.
These three factors combined explain why you can't read a town's wealth and predict its mill rate. A rich town that spends aggressively and gets little state aid can still run a high rate.
How do you calculate your Connecticut property tax bill?
The calculation has three steps and no surprises once you know them.
Step 1: Find your assessed value. It's on your tax bill, your assessment notice, or the assessor's online database. Connecticut assessors have to post the grand list publicly [1].
Step 2: Confirm the 70 percent ratio applied correctly. Your assessed value should be 70 percent of what the assessor believes your property is worth. If you think the assessor's market value estimate is too high, that's the number to challenge, not the mill rate.
Step 3: Multiply assessed value by the mill rate, then divide by 1,000. So: (Assessed Value × Mill Rate) ÷ 1,000 = Annual Tax.
Example: Milford home, assessed at $220,000, mill rate 26.75. ($220,000 × 26.75) ÷ 1,000 = $5,885 per year.
Some towns also bill a separate motor vehicle tax (Connecticut taxes registered vehicles as personal property at 70 percent of value, using the NADA book value), and some layer a fire district or special district tax on top [8]. Your total bill may carry these as separate line items. The base real property tax is the calculation above. Read the bill line by line to see if there's more than one charge.
Can you appeal your property tax in Connecticut, and how does it work?
Yes, and doing it yourself is realistic. You can't appeal the mill rate, but you can appeal the assessed value the assessor assigned to your property. Drop the assessed value and the bill drops with it.
The process runs through the Board of Assessment Appeals (BAA) in your town [4]. The deadline to file is February 20 of the year following the grand list date (so for the October 1, 2024 grand list, February 20, 2025). CGS Section 12-111 governs it [4]. Miss it and you have no administrative remedy until the next year.
At the hearing, you present evidence that your property's market value is lower than the assessor's number implies. The strongest evidence is recent comparable sales: homes close in size, age, condition, and location that sold for less than your implied value. Pull the sales from the town clerk's land records or a site like Zillow's "sold" filter, then figure what assessed value those sales imply at 70 percent. If that number lands below your current assessment, you have a case.
If the BAA denies your appeal or cuts the assessment less than you think is fair, you can take the case to Superior Court under CGS Section 12-117a [9]. That step usually needs an attorney and only pays off when the dollars at stake are large.
For homeowners who want to build their own evidence file, TaxFightBack's DIY appeal kit walks through comparable selection, the BAA hearing format, and the paperwork, minus the contingency-fee structure most firms charge. You keep everything you save.
One practical note: bring the assessor's property record card to the hearing. Errors on the card, wrong square footage, a finished basement counted twice, a bathroom that doesn't exist, are legitimate grounds for a reduction and often the easiest wins.
What exemptions can reduce your Connecticut property tax?
Connecticut has several exemptions that cut assessed value directly, which lowers the taxable base before the mill rate applies.
The most widely used are:
- Veteran exemption: eligible veterans get a $1,000 reduction in assessed value under the basic exemption, with larger amounts under the additional exemption program, per CGS Section 12-81 [10].
- Total disability exemption: totally disabled persons may qualify for a $1,000 assessed value reduction under the same statute.
- Elderly homeowner programs: the Elderly and Totally Disabled Homeowner Program (CGS Section 12-129b) offers a credit or freeze depending on income, age (65+), and filing deadline (usually May 15 in most towns) [11].
- Farm and forest land: agricultural land assessed at use value rather than market value under current use programs.
- Manufacturing exemptions: certain manufacturing machinery and equipment.
The income thresholds for the elderly homeowner program change periodically. For current figures, check with your town assessor or the Connecticut OPM property tax page [2]. The credit is real money, often $300 to $1,200 a year, and plenty of eligible homeowners never think to ask.
Exemptions are not automatic. You file an application with the assessor, usually by a deadline in fall or early spring. If you missed the deadline last year, apply now for the next grand list cycle.
Where do you find official Connecticut mill rate data?
The authoritative source is the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, which publishes the Mill Rate History for all 169 municipalities every year [2]. Find it on OPM's website under the Property Tax section. The document lists each town's rate by fiscal year going back decades, so you can watch how your town's rate has moved.
Your town assessor's office is the source for your own assessed value and property card. Every assessor in Connecticut has to keep a grand list open to public inspection, and most post it online [1].
For revaluation schedules, OPM also tracks which towns sit in which year of their five-year cycle. Knowing whether your town is due for a revaluation soon is useful. If values in your area have run up hard, a revaluation coming next year could push your assessment higher, so it pays to confirm your current assessed value is accurate before that happens.
For comparable sales to support an appeal, the town clerk's land records are the official source. Most Connecticut towns also post the data through the assessor's online portal. The Connecticut Secretary of the State's office links to individual town websites if you're having trouble finding a specific assessor [12].
What happens if your Connecticut town misses its revaluation deadline?
CGS Section 12-62 requires revaluation at least every five years [6]. If a town skips a cycle or delays, the Office of Policy and Management can compel compliance or withhold certain state aid. In practice, OPM pushes towns to stay on schedule, but delays do happen.
Here's the practical effect for homeowners in an overdue town: assessed values stay frozen at older market levels. In a rising market, that can work in your favor, since assessed values reflect older, lower prices. In a falling market, you might be assessed above current reality.
Either way, if you suspect your assessed value doesn't match current conditions, you can still appeal through the BAA. The revaluation cycle has no bearing on your individual right to appeal. You appeal using current comparable sales, no matter when the last official revaluation ran.
Frequently asked questions
What is the mill rate in Connecticut for 2025?
Connecticut mill rates for fiscal year 2024 to 2025 range from about 11.59 mills in Greenwich to 74.29 mills in Hartford. There's no single statewide rate; each of the 169 towns sets its own. The Connecticut Office of Policy and Management publishes the full list annually. Most major cities fall between 35 and 60 mills, while wealthier suburban towns cluster in the 10 to 30 mill range.
What is the Hamden CT mill rate for 2025?
Hamden's mill rate for fiscal year 2024 to 2025 is 55.16 mills, according to the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management's mill rate compilation. On a home with a $200,000 assessed value, that produces an annual tax bill of $11,032. Hamden's rate is high relative to New Haven County neighbors because of significant pension obligations and a moderate grand list.
What is the Milford CT mill rate for 2025?
Milford's mill rate for fiscal year 2024 to 2025 is 26.75 mills. That's one of the lower rates in New Haven County, driven partly by a solid commercial tax base along the Route 1 corridor. A home assessed at $220,000 pays roughly $5,885 per year. Milford last completed a revaluation effective October 1, 2021.
What is the Stratford CT mill rate for 2025?
Stratford's mill rate for fiscal year 2024 to 2025 is 35.71 mills, placing it in the middle range for Fairfield County. Stratford's rate is higher than wealthier Fairfield County towns like Greenwich (11.59) but far below Bridgeport (54.37) just to the west. Stratford completed a revaluation effective October 1, 2022.
How is Connecticut property tax calculated?
Multiply your assessed value by the town's mill rate, then divide by 1,000. Connecticut law sets assessed value at 70 percent of market value. So a $400,000 home has a $280,000 assessed value. At a 35-mill rate: ($280,000 × 35) ÷ 1,000 = $9,800 per year. Motor vehicle taxes and special district levies may appear as separate line items on the same bill.
Why is Hartford's mill rate so high compared to other Connecticut towns?
Hartford's mill rate of 74.29 is the highest in the state. The main driver is that roughly 56 percent of Hartford's property value is tax-exempt (state offices, hospitals, universities), which shrinks the taxable grand list sharply. With a smaller base to fund city services, the rate on taxable property has to be much higher. State PILOT payments offset some of this but don't close the gap.
What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in Connecticut?
The deadline to file with the Board of Assessment Appeals is February 20 of the year following the October 1 grand list date. For the October 1, 2024 grand list, the deadline is February 20, 2025. This is set by CGS Section 12-111. Missing the deadline means waiting a full year. Some towns accept online filings; check your assessor's website early.
How often does Connecticut require property revaluation?
CGS Section 12-62 requires a statistical revaluation at least every five years and a physical inspection revaluation at least every ten years. The Office of Policy and Management tracks compliance and can compel towns that fall behind. Revaluation years typically see more appeals because assessment changes are larger and more visible to homeowners.
Can you appeal the mill rate itself in Connecticut?
No. The mill rate is set by the town's legislative body (Board of Finance or town council) as part of the annual budget process. It isn't subject to individual appeal. You can only appeal the assessed value assigned to your specific property. If the assessed value drops, your bill drops proportionally even though the mill rate stays the same.
What exemptions can lower my Connecticut property tax bill?
Connecticut offers veteran exemptions (a reduction of at least $1,000 in assessed value under CGS Section 12-81), a total disability exemption, and an elderly homeowner credit or freeze for residents age 65 and older with qualifying income under CGS Section 12-129b. You must file an application with your town assessor; exemptions are not automatic. Deadlines vary by town but often fall in the spring.
Where can I find the official mill rate for my Connecticut town?
The Connecticut Office of Policy and Management publishes the Mill Rate History document for all 169 municipalities on its website under the Property Tax section. Your town assessor's office and tax collector's office also have the current rate. OPM's data is the most reliable single source and goes back decades, so you can track how your town's rate has changed over time.
Does a Connecticut revaluation automatically change my mill rate?
Not directly. Revaluation changes assessed values. The town then sets the mill rate in the budget process, often adjusting it downward to avoid a windfall when assessed values rise across the board. Your individual bill depends on whether your property's value went up more or less than the town average. If your home rose 30 percent in a 20-percent average-gain revaluation, you'll pay more even if the rate falls.
How do special fire districts affect my Connecticut mill rate?
Some Connecticut towns contain special taxing districts (fire districts, water districts) that levy their own tax on top of the base town mill rate. If your property sits inside a fire district, you'll see a separate line on your tax bill with that district's rate. The combined effective rate can run several mills higher than the town's published base rate. Check your actual bill, more than OPM's town-level figure.
Sources
- Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Property Tax overview (70 percent assessment ratio and public grand list): Connecticut law requires real property to be assessed at 70 percent of fair market value and the grand list to be open to public inspection
- Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Mill Rate History: OPM publishes annual mill rates for all 169 Connecticut municipalities; 2024-25 figures including Hamden 55.16, Milford 26.75, Stratford 35.71, Hartford 74.29, Greenwich 11.59
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Connecticut Municipal Revenue and Expenditure Study: Hartford had roughly 56 percent of its property value in tax-exempt status, suppressing its grand list and driving up the mill rate
- Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Board of Assessment Appeals guidance (CGS Section 12-111): Appeals of property tax assessments in Connecticut must be filed with the Board of Assessment Appeals by February 20 following the October 1 grand list date, per CGS 12-111
- Connecticut Secretary of the State, municipal directory (links to Milford Assessor): The Milford Assessor maintains property cards and grand list data accessible to the public
- Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Revaluation guidance (CGS Section 12-62): CGS 12-62 requires statistical revaluation at least every five years and physical inspection revaluation at least every ten years
- Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Education Cost Sharing Grants: Connecticut distributes Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants and PILOT payments to municipalities, which affect how much revenue towns must raise through the mill rate
- Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, motor vehicle property tax information: Connecticut taxes registered motor vehicles as personal property assessed at 70 percent of value using NADA book values
- Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, appeal process guidance (CGS Section 12-117a): Property owners denied relief by the BAA may appeal to Superior Court under CGS Section 12-117a
- Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, property tax exemptions (CGS Section 12-81): CGS 12-81 establishes veteran and disability exemptions reducing assessed value by at least $1,000 for eligible veterans
- Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Elderly and Totally Disabled Homeowner Program: CGS 12-129b establishes the Elderly and Totally Disabled Homeowner Program providing credits or assessment freezes for qualifying residents age 65 and older
- Connecticut Secretary of the State: The Connecticut Secretary of the State provides links to individual town websites including assessor offices