How the bill is built
Indiana calculates property tax in a very different way from most states. Start with your home's gross assessed value (AV), subtract the $48,000 Homestead Standard Deduction, then subtract 40% of what's left as the Supplemental Homestead Deduction. What remains is your net AV, and that is multiplied by your tax district's combined rate (per $100 AV). The result is then capped at 1% of your gross AV under Indiana's circuit breaker — meaning most homesteads in high-rate districts effectively pay 1% flat.
Important for 2026: Under Senate Enrolled Act 1 (2025), every homestead also receives a new Supplemental Homestead Credit equal to 10% of your tax liability, up to $300 per year. This is applied automatically — no form required — starting with bills due in 2026.
2026 Jennings County rate breakdown (per $100 AV, Vernon district)
| Taxing entity | Rate |
|---|
| City of North Vernon combined rate (per $100 AV) | 2.7849 |
| Combined total | 2.7849 |
As of April 25, 2026 · From Jennings County Assessor.
Note: Jennings County's primary anchor is the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center — a 1,000-acre former state mental hospital that closed in 2005 and was transferred to the Indiana National Guard for urban warfare training. Muscatatuck (pronounced "mus-CAT-a-tuck") is one of the largest urban training facilities in the United States and hosts NATO and US military exercises year-round.
Note: North Vernon and the unincorporated village of Vernon (the legal county seat — much smaller than North Vernon, similar configuration to Jackson County's Brownstown/Seymour split) serve as the county's population centers. Vernon retains its 1816 status as county seat for historical reasons.
Note: Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, located on the Decatur/Jennings County border in nearby Greensburg (Decatur County), employs many Jennings County residents. This commuter relationship has been a stabilizing force for the county's demographics over the past 20 years.
Deductions and credits for 2026
Homestead Standard + Supplemental Deductions
Indiana's two-part homestead deduction is the single most valuable tax reduction available to homeowners. For 2026, the Standard Deduction is $48,000 off your gross AV, and the Supplemental Deduction is 40% of what remains after the Standard is applied. Together these typically shield about 65% of a typical home's AV from taxation before any rate is even applied.
File Form HC10 (Homestead Property Tax Deduction) with the Jennings County Assessor by December 31 of the year preceding the tax year. Many closings handle this automatically — verify on your next tax bill that "Homestead Standard Deduction" appears as a line item.
Phase-in schedule: Under SEA 1, the Standard Deduction drops to $40,000 in 2027 and phases out entirely by 2030, while the Supplemental percentage rises from 40% (2026) to 66.7% by 2031. The net effect is roughly revenue-neutral for most homeowners — just a different calculation path.
The 1% Circuit Breaker Cap
Indiana's constitution caps homestead property tax at 1% of gross assessed value. If your calculated tax would exceed that amount (which is common in high-rate districts like Hammond, Gary, and South Bend), the bill is reduced to the cap. Non-homestead residential property is capped at 2%, and commercial at 3%.
Supplemental Homestead Credit (new in 2026)
Under SEA 1, qualifying homesteads receive a credit equal to the lesser of 10% of your tax liability or $300. This is applied automatically to your bill — no application needed.
Over 65 Credit
Replacing the old Over 65 Deduction, this new credit provides up to $150 directly off your tax bill. Income limit is $60,000 single / $70,000 joint. File Form 43708 with your county auditor by January 15 of the tax year.
100% Disabled Veteran Exemption
Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability qualify for a full exemption on their primary residence. Partial disability deductions vary by rating.
Appealing your assessment
If you believe Vernon-area assessed values on your property are too high, you can file Form 130 (Taxpayer's Notice to Initiate an Appeal) with your township assessor within 45 days of receiving your Form 11 assessment notice, which typically arrives in the spring. Most appeals are resolved informally with the assessor; unresolved disputes go to the county Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals (PTABOA).
Cities and towns in Jennings County
Jennings County contains 4 incorporated municipalities, ranging from Vernon to the smallest village. Search volume for property tax is often city-specific, so here is the complete list — with population from the 2020 US Census, rounded to the nearest 100.
Data: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census. Populations rounded. Cities marked as "split" straddle a county border — the portion inside Jennings County is subject to Jennings County's tax rolls, while the portion outside is subject to the adjacent county's.
| City or town | Type | Population (2020) |
| North Vernon | city | 6,730 |
| Hayden | town | 760 |
| Butlerville | town | 290 |
| Vernon County seat | town | 240 |
About city-level property tax rates: The rate breakdown and calculator on this page reflect the Vernon tax district. Other cities in Jennings County may pay into different school districts, city rates, and special districts — so their combined rates can differ, sometimes substantially. Always verify the specific rates for your address with the Jennings County Assessor before relying on any estimate.
Compare with neighboring counties
Frequently asked questions
How does the Indiana 1% circuit breaker cap actually work?
Indiana's constitution caps homestead property tax at 1% of your gross assessed value. If your calculated tax (after deductions) would exceed 1% of gross AV, the excess is automatically "forgiven" — you never pay more than 1%. In Lake, Marion, and St. Joseph counties, a large share of homesteads hit this cap.
Do I have to apply for the Supplemental Homestead Credit?
No. If your property already has the Homestead Standard Deduction on file, the Supplemental Homestead Credit is applied automatically starting with your 2026 bill. Check that it appears on your bill under "Credits."
When does my homestead deduction need to be filed by?
File Form HC10 with your county auditor by December 31 of the assessment year. Many real-estate closings handle this paperwork — verify on your first full-year tax bill that the deduction appears.
About this site's data and estimates. The Property Tax Almanac is an independent editorial reference. It is not affiliated with any government agency, tax assessor, or tax preparation service. The calculators and data on this site are informational and are not a substitute for advice from a qualified tax professional, attorney, or your official county assessor or appraisal district.
Accuracy, sources, and scope. Tax rate data is compiled from publicly available sources — including the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, the Illinois Department of Revenue, the Florida Department of Revenue, the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, the Arizona Department of Revenue, the North Carolina Department of Revenue, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, the Michigan Department of Treasury, the Iowa Department of Revenue and Iowa Department of Management, the Minnesota Department of Revenue, the California State Board of Equalization, individual county appraisal and assessor offices, and the US Census Bureau — and is believed to be accurate as of the "revised" date shown on each page. Rates change annually (and sometimes mid-year) through local budget adoptions, legislative action, and voter-approved measures. Rates displayed reflect the primary tax district of the county seat; rates in other cities, school districts, Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs), Emergency Services Districts (ESDs), Mello-Roos Community Facilities Districts (CFDs), and special taxing units within the same county may be meaningfully higher or lower. Census population figures are from the 2020 Decennial Census and are rounded to the nearest 100.
How to use these estimates. The calculator produces a rough estimate based on the county seat's combined rate, statutory deductions and exemptions available statewide, and the value you enter. Your actual bill depends on your specific parcel's assessed or appraised value, the exact taxing entities covering your address, any local-option exemptions you qualify for, any assessment caps or circuit-breaker protections (e.g., Florida's Save Our Homes, Arizona's Prop 117 LPV cap, Indiana's 1% circuit breaker, North Carolina's Elderly/Disabled Exclusion, Wisconsin's Lottery & Gaming Credit, Michigan's Proposal A 5%/IRM cap, Iowa's residential rollback, Minnesota's Homestead Market Value Exclusion, California's Proposition 13 acquisition-value system and 2% annual cap), and any appeal or protest outcomes. For an authoritative figure, consult your county appraisal district (Texas), county assessor (Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Arizona, North Carolina, Iowa, Minnesota, California), county property appraiser (Florida), or municipal/township assessor (Wisconsin and Michigan — assessments are set at the city/village/township level rather than the county level; some Iowa and Minnesota cities also have city-level assessors). The contact information for the primary authority in each county is listed at the top of that county's page.
No legal or tax advice; no warranty. Nothing on this site constitutes legal, tax, financial, investment, or real estate advice. The Property Tax Almanac, its authors, and its publisher make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of the content on this site. Any reliance you place on the information is strictly at your own risk. We are not liable for any loss or damage — including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage — arising from the use of this site or from decisions made based on its content.
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