Farmington CT mill rate: what it is and what you actually pay

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is a mill rate and how does Farmington CT use it?

A mill rate is a tax rate expressed in thousandths of a dollar. One mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value. Farmington sets a new mill rate each spring, when the Town Council adopts the budget, and that rate then applies to all real property, personal property, and motor vehicles on the October 1 grand list.

Connecticut law requires towns to assess real property at 70% of fair market value ^[1]. That 70% figure is your assessed value. The mill rate multiplies against that number, never the full market value. So the math for any Farmington property is:

Tax bill = (Market value × 0.70) × (mill rate ÷ 1,000)

Say your assessor puts your house at $400,000 market value. Your assessed value is $280,000. At Farmington's 2024-25 mill rate of 27.36, the base tax before exemptions is $280,000 × 0.02736 = $7,661 ^[2]. That number drops if you qualify for a homeowner's exemption, a veterans' exemption, or elderly tax relief, all of which come off assessed value before the mill rate runs.

What is Farmington CT's mill rate for 2024-25?

Farmington's mill rate for fiscal year 2024-25 (the year beginning July 1, 2024) is 27.36 mills ^[2]. That covers real estate and personal property. Motor vehicles are taxed at 32.46 mills statewide, the cap the legislature set beginning in fiscal year 2022-23 ^[3].

The Town publishes the adopted mill rate in its budget resolution each May. Need the exact figure for a prior year? The Farmington Assessor's office keeps historical mill rate tables, and the Finance Department posts adopted budgets online ^[2].

Here's what trips people up. Farmington's mill rate looks lower than many Hartford-area towns because Farmington has a high grand list per capita, so the tax base spreads over a lot of assessed value. The rate does not tell you whether property taxes are cheap. The actual bill does.

How does Farmington's mill rate compare to nearby Connecticut towns?

Farmington sits in the middle of the pack for Hartford County. It runs well below Hartford and West Hartford and lands within a mill of Avon and Simsbury. Here's how the 2024-25 rate stacks against neighboring and well-known Connecticut towns, drawn from each municipality's most recently published mill rate data ^[2][4][5]:

Town	2024-25 Mill Rate (Real Property)
Farmington	27.36
West Hartford	40.92
Hartford	68.95
Avon	27.50
Simsbury	28.66
Canton	30.75
Burlington	34.67
Greenwich	11.59

Greenwich's 11.59 rate is the lowest of any sizable Connecticut town because its grand list is enormous relative to its population. The Greenwich mill rate has stayed between 11 and 12 mills for years, held down by a commercial tax base anchored in hedge funds and high-end real estate ^[5]. If someone points at the Greenwich rate to argue your town is overcharging you, remember Greenwich also carries one of the highest median home values in the country. Low rate, big bill.

Rate alone is a bad way to judge a town. A 68.95 mill rate on a modest Hartford assessment can produce a smaller bill than 27.36 on a large Farmington one.

How is Farmington's mill rate calculated each year?

It starts with the budget. The Board of Education and town departments submit spending requests, the Town Manager proposes a combined budget, and the Town Council debates and adopts a final number. Once spending is set, Finance subtracts non-tax revenues (state grants, fees, investment income), and whatever remains is what property taxes have to cover.

That required levy gets divided by the total net taxable assessed value on the grand list (adjusted for abatements and exemptions). Multiply the result by 1,000 and you have the mill rate.

Mill rate = (Required levy ÷ Net taxable grand list) × 1,000

When the grand list grows faster than spending, the mill rate can fall even if the budget rises. That's why revaluation years sometimes pair a lower rate with higher assessed values. Farmington last completed a revaluation effective October 1, 2022 ^[2], and the market-value jump from that revaluation was softened by a mill rate cut.

Farmington's fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30. The grand list date is October 1. About seven months pass between the grand list date and the day bills go out, which is why your July 2024 bill reflects the October 1, 2023 grand list.

When are Farmington property taxes due and what happens if you miss the deadline?

Connecticut towns generally bill property taxes in two installments ^[6]. Farmington follows the standard schedule:

• First installment: due July 1, grace period through August 1
• Second installment: due January 1, grace period through February 1

Motor vehicle taxes on bills under $100 are billed as a single installment due July 1.

Pay after the grace period and interest runs at 1.5% per month (18% per year) from the original due date, not from the end of the grace period ^[6]. That's not a typo. Miss August 1 by one day and interest reaches back to July 1. Connecticut General Statutes §12-145 sets interest on delinquent taxes "at the rate of one and one-half per cent of such tax for each month or fraction thereof" from the due date ^[6]. A fraction of a month counts as a whole month.

You can pay online through Farmington's tax collector portal, by mail, or in person at Town Hall. The online portal charges a convenience fee that varies by method, so for a large bill, a check mailed a few days early usually costs you less.

What is the October 1 grand list and why does it matter for your tax bill?

The grand list is a snapshot. Every October 1, the assessor captures the status of all taxable property in town: real estate, business personal property, and registered motor vehicles ^[9]. The values and ownership recorded on that single date set your tax bill for the following fiscal year.

Sold your house on October 2? You still owned it on October 1, and you owe the full year's taxes. House burned down September 30 and rebuilt by October 2? The assessor captures the rebuilt value, not zero. Timing around October 1 has real money attached to it.

Exemptions have their own deadlines. Many must be filed before November 1 following the October 1 grand list to apply to that year's bill. Farmington's elderly tax relief program requires an application with income documentation filed by May 15 for the prior October 1 grand list ^[2]. Miss it and you wait a full year.

Farmington's Assessor's office sits at 1 Monteith Drive. The number is (860) 675-2370 ^[2].

How do I calculate my Farmington property tax bill from scratch?

You need two numbers: your assessed value (on your assessment notice or the town's online database) and the current mill rate. Everything else is arithmetic.

Step 1: Look up your assessed value. Farmington posts property cards on its Vision Government Solutions database. Search by address and find the field labeled "Assessed Value" or "Assessment." ^[2]

Step 2: Apply the mill rate.

Example: Assessed value = $210,000. Mill rate = 27.36.

$210,000 × (27.36 ÷ 1,000) = $210,000 × 0.02736 = $5,746

Step 3: Subtract any exemptions. Connecticut's basic homeowner's exemption cuts assessed value by $1,000 before the bill is figured, saving you about $27 at the current rate. Elderly tax relief can cut assessed value by much more, depending on income ^[7].

Step 4: Add any special districts. Some Farmington properties sit within the Unionville village district or other special taxing districts that carry an extra mill rate. Read your bill for line items beyond the town rate.

The total is your annual tax, sent in two roughly equal installments each July and January.

What exemptions can reduce my Farmington tax bill?

Connecticut has several statutory exemptions Farmington applies ^[7]. None of them are automatic except the basic one after your first filing. You have to ask.

Basic exemption: $1,000 off assessed value for owners who occupy the property as a primary residence. File once and it carries forward. Saves roughly $27 a year at the current rate.

Veterans' exemption: $1,500 off assessed value for honorably discharged veterans; $3,000 for veterans with a wartime service disability; up to $10,000 for those with a VA disability rating of 10% or more ^[7]. Applications due November 1.

Elderly and totally disabled tax relief: Connecticut's circuit breaker program (CGS §12-170aa) caps property tax for income-qualified seniors at a percentage of income. Farmington also runs a local tax freeze for eligible elderly homeowners. The 2024 income limit for the state program is $49,100 for single filers and $60,100 for married filers ^[7]. Apply by May 15.

Disability exemption: Totally disabled persons may qualify for an added exemption under CGS §12-81(55).

Farm and open space: Farmington has parcels classified under Connecticut's PA 490 (CGS §12-107), which taxes farm and forest land at use value instead of market value. For a qualifying parcel, that can cut assessed value hard ^[10].

How do I appeal my Farmington property assessment?

If your assessment looks too high, Connecticut's appeal path is simple, but the deadlines are hard.

Step 1: Informal review. Call or visit the Farmington Assessor's office. Ask whether the property card has errors: wrong square footage, bathrooms that don't exist, a finished basement that's actually unfinished. Factual corrections often produce a reduction without any formal appeal at all.

Step 2: Board of Assessment Appeals (BAA). File a written appeal with the Farmington Board of Assessment Appeals by February 20 of the year following the October 1 grand list ^[8]. (If February 20 lands on a weekend, the deadline moves to the next business day.) The BAA hears cases in March. This is your first formal hearing, and you bring evidence: comparable sales, an independent appraisal, or documentation of defects.

Step 3: Superior Court. If the BAA denies you or cuts too little, you have 60 days from the BAA decision to file in Superior Court under CGS §12-117a ^[8]. Go this route only when the tax savings clear the legal costs.

The single most common mistake homeowners make is appealing the mill rate. You can't. The mill rate is a legislative decision by the Town Council, not an individual's to challenge. What you can challenge is the assessor's estimate of your property's market value.

To build a strong BAA case, gather three to five recent sales (within the past year, ideally within a mile) of homes like yours in size, age, condition, and style. If those sales point to a lower market value than the assessor used, you have grounds. The assessor has to show the assessment is correct; your job is to show it isn't.

Want to do this yourself instead of paying a contingency firm (they typically take 33-50% of your first-year savings)? The TaxFightBack DIY appeal kit walks you through the comparable sales analysis and the BAA filing letter, step by step.

To see how other states handle a similar process, compare Maricopa property tax and San Diego property tax.

What is the February 20 appeal deadline and what happens if you miss it?

Connecticut General Statutes §12-111 sets the Board of Assessment Appeals filing deadline at February 20 for real property appeals based on the prior October 1 grand list ^[8]. This date is firm. Miss it by one day and you forfeit your BAA hearing for that assessment year and wait until the next one.

Motor vehicle assessments get a narrow exception. Those can be appealed in a separate session usually held in September, with a September 20 deadline.

Farmington posts BAA application forms on the assessor's webpage. The form asks for your name, property address, parcel ID, the assessed value you were notified of, and the value you believe is correct. No lawyer required to file. What you do need is to show up prepared with evidence at your scheduled hearing.

Hearing notices go out by mail in late February or early March. Farmington's BAA hearings usually happen at Town Hall in March. Budget 20 to 30 minutes for your slot.

How does Farmington's revaluation cycle affect the mill rate?

Connecticut requires towns to revalue all real property at least once every five years, with a physical inspection at least once every ten years ^[1]. Farmington completed its most recent revaluation effective October 1, 2022 ^[2]. The next full revaluation is due by October 1, 2027, though the town may run interim adjustments before then.

Revaluation years drive most assessment shock. When market values climb fast, as they did across Connecticut between 2019 and 2022, a revaluation can push assessed values up 20% to 40% for many homes. The town is supposed to drop the mill rate proportionally so total revenue doesn't spike (a "revenue-neutral" rate), but the rate rarely falls enough to fully offset every individual increase. Properties that appreciated faster than the town average pay more even after the rate drops.

The practical lesson: if your assessment jumped in a revaluation year, that's the best year to appeal. The assessor mass-appraises thousands of properties with modeling software, and individual quirks (a wet basement, deferred maintenance, an awkward floor plan) get missed constantly. Revaluation appeal volume in Connecticut typically runs two to three times higher than off-year volume.

After a revaluation, the assessor has to meet with you before the BAA if you request it. Take that meeting. Sometimes the assessor has the wrong data and fixes it on the spot.

Is Farmington's mill rate likely to go up or down in coming years?

Nobody has a crystal ball, and the budget process runs on real political variables. A few structural factors are worth knowing.

Farmington's grand list has grown modestly in recent years, partly from new commercial development along the Route 6 and Route 10 corridors, partly from rising residential values. A growing grand list pushes the mill rate down, all else equal.

On the spending side, education costs (roughly 60% to 65% of Farmington's budget) keep climbing, and debt service from capital projects adds pressure. State aid matters too. Cuts to Education Cost Sharing grants force towns to make up the gap locally.

The honest answer: Farmington's mill rate has been fairly stable over the past decade, moving within a narrow band next to cities like Hartford or Bridgeport, and that reflects a strong tax base and steady fiscal management. Whether it holds depends on budget decisions nobody has made yet.

Buying a home in Farmington? Pull the current assessed value from Vision Government Solutions, apply the current mill rate, and add a 2% to 3% buffer for increases over the next few years. That's a realistic estimate without false precision.

Frequently asked questions

What is Farmington CT's current mill rate?

Farmington's mill rate for fiscal year 2024-25 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025) is 27.36 mills for real property and personal property. Motor vehicles are taxed at 32.46 mills under the Connecticut statutory cap. The Town Council adopts the mill rate each May, and it takes effect the following July 1.

How do I find my Farmington property's assessed value?

Farmington posts all property records through its Vision Government Solutions online database, reachable from the Assessor's page on the town website. Search by address or parcel ID. You can also call the Farmington Assessor's office at (860) 675-2370 or visit in person at 1 Monteith Drive. Your annual tax bill also states the assessed value used to calculate what you owe.

Why is the Greenwich CT mill rate so much lower than Farmington's?

Greenwich's mill rate of roughly 11.59 mills is low because its grand list is enormous relative to its population. Greenwich's commercial and residential tax base, anchored by high-value real estate and financial firms, generates enough assessed value to fund town services at a much lower rate. A lower mill rate does not mean lower bills; Greenwich's high property values often produce bills larger than Farmington's despite the lower rate.

When is the deadline to appeal my Farmington property assessment?

The deadline to file a written appeal with the Farmington Board of Assessment Appeals is February 20 of the year following the October 1 grand list. For the October 1, 2024 grand list, the BAA filing deadline is February 20, 2025. Missing this date forfeits your right to a BAA hearing for that assessment year. Motor vehicle assessment appeals have a separate September 20 deadline.

What exemptions are available to Farmington homeowners?

Farmington applies Connecticut's standard exemptions: a basic $1,000 exemption for owner-occupants; veterans' exemptions of $1,500 to $10,000 depending on service and disability; elderly and disabled tax relief under CGS §12-170aa (2024 income limits are $49,100 single / $60,100 married); and PA 490 use-value assessment for qualifying farm and forest land. Most require a one-time or annual application.

How often does Farmington revalue properties?

Connecticut law requires revaluation at least once every five years. Farmington completed its most recent revaluation effective October 1, 2022. The next full revaluation is due by October 1, 2027. In between, the assessor may make annual adjustments to reflect market changes, but those are usually less dramatic than a full revaluation.

Does the mill rate apply to the full market value of my home?

No. Connecticut assesses property at 70% of market value, so the mill rate applies only to that 70% figure. If the assessor estimates your home's market value at $350,000, your assessed value is $245,000. At 27.36 mills, your base tax is $245,000 × 0.02736 = $6,703. The full market value never enters the calculation directly.

What happens if I miss the Farmington property tax payment deadline?

Interest accrues at 1.5% per month (18% annually) from the original due date, not from the end of the grace period, per Connecticut General Statutes §12-145. The first installment is due July 1 with a grace period through August 1. Miss August 1 by one day and interest runs from July 1. Fractions of a month count as full months, so timing your payment matters.

Can I appeal the mill rate itself if I think it is too high?

No. The mill rate is set by the Town Council through the budget process and is not subject to an individual property owner's appeal. What you can appeal is the assessor's estimate of your property's market value, which determines your assessed value. If your assessment drops, your bill drops at whatever the mill rate happens to be.

How does Farmington compare to West Hartford on property taxes?

West Hartford's 2024-25 mill rate is 40.92, well above Farmington's 27.36. On a home assessed at $280,000, West Hartford residents pay roughly $11,458 a year versus Farmington's $7,661. The gap reflects West Hartford's larger school system costs and a somewhat smaller commercial tax base relative to its residential population.

Do I need a lawyer to appeal my Farmington property assessment?

No. The Board of Assessment Appeals hearing is built to be accessible to homeowners without legal representation. You need a written appeal filed by February 20, a clear argument for why your assessment overstates market value, and supporting evidence such as comparable sales or an independent appraisal. Many successful appeals are filed and argued by homeowners on their own.

What is the Farmington grand list and how is it used?

The grand list is the town's complete inventory of all taxable property, assessed as of October 1 each year. It includes real estate, business personal property, and motor vehicles. The total net taxable assessed value on the grand list is the denominator in the mill rate calculation: the required tax levy divided by the grand list, multiplied by 1,000, equals the mill rate.

Are there special taxing districts in Farmington with additional mill rates?

Yes. Some Farmington properties, particularly in the Unionville area, fall within special taxing or fire districts that levy an extra mill rate on top of the town-wide rate. Your tax bill lists each district charge as a separate line item. If you own property in one of these areas, your effective rate runs higher than the base 27.36 mills.

How do I find Farmington's mill rate history for prior years?

The Farmington Finance Department publishes adopted budgets, including certified mill rates for each fiscal year, on the town's official website. The Assessor's office also keeps historical grand list and mill rate data. For years before the online records, you can submit a Freedom of Information request to the Town Clerk.

Sources

1. Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Property Tax and Revaluation guidance: Connecticut law requires real property to be assessed at 70% of fair market value and mandates revaluation at least once every five years, with a physical inspection at least once every ten years.
2. Town of Farmington CT, Assessor's Office: Farmington's 2024-25 mill rate is 27.36 for real property; last revaluation effective October 1, 2022; assessor contact information.
3. Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Motor Vehicle Mill Rate Cap: Connecticut capped the motor vehicle mill rate at 32.46 mills beginning in fiscal year 2022-23.
4. Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Mill Rate Table FY 2024-25: Mill rates for West Hartford (40.92), Hartford (68.95), Avon (27.50), Simsbury (28.66), Canton (30.75), and Burlington (34.67) for fiscal year 2024-25.
5. Town of Greenwich CT, Finance Department: Greenwich CT's mill rate for 2024-25 is 11.59 mills, among the lowest in Connecticut.
6. Connecticut General Assembly, CGS §12-145 (Interest on Delinquent Taxes): Interest on delinquent property taxes in Connecticut accrues at 1.5% per month from the original due date; fractions of a month count as a full month.
7. Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Property Tax Exemptions and Elderly Relief programs: Connecticut's veterans' exemptions range from $1,500 to $10,000 in assessed value reduction; elderly tax relief income limits for 2024 are $49,100 single and $60,100 married.
8. Connecticut General Assembly, CGS §12-111 and §12-117a (Board of Assessment Appeals and Superior Court Appeal): The deadline to file a real property appeal with the Board of Assessment Appeals is February 20; Superior Court appeals must be filed within 60 days of the BAA decision.
9. Connecticut Department of Revenue Services: Connecticut's grand list date is October 1 annually; property status and ownership on that date determine the following year's tax bill.
10. Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, PA 490 Farm and Forest Land Classification: Connecticut's PA 490 (CGS §12-107) allows qualifying farm and forest land to be assessed at use value rather than market value.