What happens to property taxes when you buy a home in Dearborn Heights, MI
The tax figure on the listing is the seller's bill, computed under a cap that ends the day you close. The January after the sale, the Dearborn Heights assessor resets the taxable value to about half of what you paid, and your bill is built from that new number at the rates below.
The seller's bill is not your bill.
Michigan's Proposal A freezes how fast a home's taxable value can grow while one owner holds it, often far below what the home is now worth. A sale uncaps it. The assessor resets the taxable value to the state equalized value, which is about half the market value, and every bill after that is computed from the reset figure. Buyers who budget from the listing's tax line usually meet the real number in year two.
Two things set the size of the reset bill in Dearborn Heights: the price you pay, and whether you live in the home. Living there qualifies you for the Principal Residence Exemption, and the exact rate depends on the school district the house sits in.
Dearborn Heights's 2025 rates, district by district
One mill is one dollar of tax per $1,000 of taxable value. These are the totals the state publishes, not an estimate.
| School district | Homestead (PRE), mills | Non-homestead, mills |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor School Distric | 46.7774 | 64.3941 |
| Dearborn City School | 50.1408 | 65.9598 |
| Wayne-Westland Com | 51.3878 | 69.3878 |
| Westwood Community | 52.1816 | 70.1816 |
| Crestwood School District | 52.4774 | 70.4774 |
| Dearborn Hgts Schools District | 52.7150 | 70.7150 |
Source: Michigan Department of Treasury, Total Property Tax Rates in Michigan, 2025 — the official statewide table, as published.
The listing or the assessor's record says which school district a particular house sits in. Two homes a street apart in Dearborn Heights can carry different rates for that reason alone.
What the reset does to the bill.
A $300,000 purchase in Dearborn Heights — Taylor School Distric district, worked line by line.
| Line | Figure |
|---|---|
| Purchase price | $300,000 |
| Taxable value after the uncap (state equalized value, about half the price) | $150,000 |
| Homestead rate, Taylor School Distric | 46.7774 mills |
| Annual tax once the reset lands | $7,017 |
$300,000 × 50% = $150,000 taxable value. $150,000 × 46.7774 ÷ 1,000 = $7,017 a year. Rounded to the nearest dollar.
The reset uses exactly half the price here, where the assessor's figure will be approximately half. Your actual bill depends on the assessor's next determination of state equalized value and on any millage voters approve between now and then.
The same arithmetic at three round numbers.
These are arithmetic illustrations of the published rates. They are not statistics about Dearborn Heights home prices.
| Purchase price | Taxable value after the uncap | Annual tax, homestead | Annual tax, non-homestead |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $100,000 | $4,678 to $5,272 | $6,439 to $7,072 |
| $300,000 | $150,000 | $7,017 to $7,907 | $9,659 to $10,607 |
| $400,000 | $200,000 | $9,355 to $10,543 | $12,879 to $14,143 |
Ranges span the lowest and highest-rate school districts in the table above (Taylor School Distric to Dearborn Hgts Schools District). Rounded to the nearest dollar.
The paperwork that sets your rate.
Two filings decide which column above your bill is computed from, and one of them carries a penalty.
Principal Residence Exemption — Form 2368
If you will live in the home, this filing is what puts you on the homestead column instead of the non-homestead one. File it with the Dearborn Heights assessor.
| Summer levy | June 1 |
| Winter levy | November 1 |
Property Transfer Affidavit — Form 2766
Due to the assessor after the transfer. It is the filing that tells the assessor the sale happened, and missing it is the one deadline here that costs money.
| Due | 45 days from transfer |
| Penalty, residence | $5 per day, $200 max |
What buyers in Dearborn Heights ask.
What is the 2025 property tax rate in Dearborn Heights, Michigan?
It depends on the school district. The 2025 rates published by the Michigan Department of Treasury for Dearborn Heights run from 46.7774 mills (Taylor School Distric) to 52.7150 mills (Dearborn Hgts Schools District) with a Principal Residence Exemption. The listing or the assessor's record says which district a house is in; the full table is on this page.
Why will my property taxes in Dearborn Heights be higher than the seller's?
Michigan's Proposal A caps how fast a home's taxable value can rise while one person owns it. A sale removes the cap: the January after you close, the taxable value resets to the state equalized value — about half the market value — and your bill is computed from that reset number, not from the seller's capped one. The figure on the listing is the seller's bill under the old cap.
How much would property taxes be on a $300,000 home in Dearborn Heights?
As an arithmetic illustration, not a statistic about local prices: taxable value resets to about half the price — the illustration uses exactly $150,000 — and at the published homestead rates the annual bill computes to between $7,017 (Taylor School Distric) and $7,907 (Dearborn Hgts Schools District), depending on school district.
What is the Principal Residence Exemption worth in Dearborn Heights?
In Dearborn Heights the gap between the published non-homestead and homestead rates runs from 15.8190 to 18.0000 mills depending on school district. On a $300,000 purchase — $150,000 of taxable value after the reset — that computes to $2,373 to $2,700 a year. You claim it by filing Form 2368 with the assessor: June 1 for the summer levy, November 1 for the winter levy.
What do I have to file after buying a home in Dearborn Heights?
Two forms. The Property Transfer Affidavit (Form 2766) goes to the assessor within 45 days of the transfer; the penalty for missing it runs $5 a day up to $200 for a residence. The Principal Residence Exemption (Form 2368) is due June 1 for the summer levy and November 1 for the winter levy if you will live in the home.
Everything on this page is arithmetic on rates published by the Michigan Department of Treasury, for screening. Your actual bill depends on the assessor's next determination and any millage voters approve. Nothing here is legal, tax, or lending advice, and nothing here is an opinion of value.
Run the reset on the house you are actually looking at.
The property tax check runs this arithmetic on your purchase price, your exemption status, and your school district. The direction and rough size of the change appear straight away; the full breakdown is sent once you enter an email.
The tax reset is one number out of roughly forty in the full financial inspection: every published value estimate, true monthly cost, ten years of equity math, the big-ticket replacements coming, the city's records on the house, and a verdict of Proceed, Conditional, or Walk Away. Delivered within 3 hours of payment, with 30 days to get your money back. We take no lender money.
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