What is a mill equivalent to in terms of property tax assessment?

A mill is a term used in property tax assessment to denote one-tenth of a cent, which is equivalent to one-thousandth of a dollar. This means that for every mill assessed, a property owner pays $0.001 per dollar of taxable value. Understanding this is crucial when calculating property tax liabilities, as municipalities often use mills to express tax rates.

Using mills allows for a straightforward way to communicate property tax rates and assess the value of real estate. For example, if a property has a taxable value of $100,000 and the tax rate is set at 20 mills, the property tax would be calculated as follows: 20 mills would be equivalent to $20 per $1,000 of the property's value, resulting in a total tax of $2,000. This method of valuation and assessment is widely used across different jurisdictions, emphasizing the importance of knowing that a mill represents one-thousandth of a dollar.