What is the property tax rate in Prince William County?

The combined effective property tax rate in Prince William County, Virginia is approximately 1.10%.

Prince William County Property Tax Calculator (2026)

Property Tax in Prince William County, 2026

A calculator and field guide for Manassas-area homeowners — and for anyone considering a move to Prince William County — including Virginia's 100% assessment ratio, the locality-set Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled (income-based), and the constitutional 100% Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (passed by voters in 2010, effective Jan 2011).

Prince William County operates under Virginia's distinctive property tax structure. Virginia uses 100% assessment ratio (assessed at full fair market value) and each locality (county OR independent city) sets its own real estate tax rate. Virginia is unique among US states in having 38 independent cities that operate as both city and county for governance and tax purposes.

How the bill is built

Virginia's property tax calculation is straightforward. Step 1: Assessed Value. Prince William County Real Estate Assessments Office reassesses your property at fair market value (some localities reassess annually, others biennially or longer). Step 2: Apply rate. Tax = AV × locality rate per $100. Prince William's combined rate is approximately $0.966 per $100 of AV. Total bill = (AV × rate) / 100. Step 3: Apply exemptions. Disabled veterans receive the full constitutional exemption (since 2011). Seniors and disabled residents may qualify for locality-set Real Estate Tax Relief programs.

Virginia's 100% Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption is one of the most-comprehensive in the United States. Approved by Virginia voters in 2010 (Constitution of Virginia, Article X, Section 6-A) and effective January 2011, the exemption provides FULL exemption from real estate tax on the dwelling and surrounding land (typically up to 1 acre) for veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled by the VA. Surviving spouses (unmarried) of 100% disabled veterans retain the exemption. Surviving spouses of US service members killed in action ALSO receive the full exemption regardless of veteran's disability status. No income limit applies.

Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled is locality-set. Each Virginia locality (county or independent city) sets its own income-based real estate tax relief program for residents 65+ and permanently disabled. Income limits and reduction percentages vary widely — Fairfax County provides up to 100% exemption with income under ~$72K; Henrico County provides up to 100% with income under ~$77K; Norfolk provides 25-100% sliding scale. Apply with your locality's Commissioner of the Revenue or Real Estate Assessor.

Independent cities operate as both city and county. Virginia's 38 independent cities (including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Richmond) handle their own assessment, tax collection, and local government services — they are not part of any county. This is unique to Virginia in the United States. The independent city structure means residents pay one combined real estate tax to the city (covering both city AND former-county-equivalent services).

2026 Prince William County rate breakdown (dollars per $100 of AV (100% assessment ratio), Manassas district)

Taxing entity	Rate
Prince William County General + Schools (~$0.966 / $100 AV)	0.9660
Fire Levy + Mosquito + Misc Districts	0.1300
Combined total	1.0960

As of April 26, 2026 · From Prince William County Real Estate Assessments Office.

Note: Prince William County, anchored by the city of Manassas (home of the Civil War Battle of Bull Run / First Manassas, July 1861), is the second-largest county by population in Northern Virginia after Fairfax. The county includes the rapidly-growing Gainesville/Bristow corridor, the Lake Ridge planned community, and the Quantico Marine Corps Base. Prince William is the largest data center concentration in the world by some measures — the "Data Center Alley" along Loudoun-Prince William border hosts approximately 70% of all internet traffic globally.

Note: Prince William effective property tax rates run approximately 1.10% — moderate by Northern Virginia standards. The county Real Estate Tax Rate is ~$0.966 per $100 of AV, plus a Fire Levy and other district fees. Median home values (~$481K) are meaningfully lower than Fairfax (~$695K) or Loudoun (~$650K), making PWC the primary affordability play in the inner DC suburbs.

Note: For relocation buyers: PWC is the Northern Virginia value choice — newer housing stock (much of it 1990s-2010s subdivisions), modestly lower home values than Fairfax, and reasonable I-95 commute to DC (though I-95 traffic is notoriously bad). The Stafford and Spotsylvania options further south offer even lower prices but at the cost of a much longer commute. Quantico Marine Corps Base employs ~12,000 personnel and drives a significant rental market.

Tax relief and exemptions for 2026

Virginia's homeowner tax relief is unusual: there is no statewide homestead exemption (unlike most US states). Instead, each locality (county or independent city) sets its own income-based Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled program. The constitutional 100% Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (since 2011) is statewide.

Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (constitutional)

Approved by Virginia voters in November 2010 (Constitution of Virginia, Article X, Section 6-A) and effective January 1, 2011, this is among the most-comprehensive disabled-veteran property tax exemptions in the United States. Veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled by the VA — including 100% individual unemployability ratings — receive full exemption from real estate tax on their primary residence (dwelling and surrounding land, typically up to 1 acre; localities can set higher limits). No income limit applies. Surviving spouses (unmarried) of 100% disabled veterans retain the exemption. Surviving spouses of US service members killed in action ALSO receive the full exemption, regardless of veteran's disability rating.

Apply with your locality's Commissioner of the Revenue or Real Estate Assessor with VA documentation of disability rating. Application is typically a one-time process; the exemption renews automatically unless circumstances change.

Real Estate Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled (locality-set)

Each Virginia locality sets its own income-based program for residents 65+ or permanently disabled. Income limits and reduction percentages vary widely:

Fairfax County: up to 100% exemption (income under ~$72K), sliding scale up to ~$100K
Arlington County: up to 100% (income under ~$99K)
Henrico County: up to 100% (income under ~$77K)
Norfolk: 25-100% sliding scale (income under ~$67K)
Virginia Beach: up to 100% (income under ~$80K)

Apply annually with your locality's Commissioner of the Revenue or Assessor. Most localities require proof of age, income, and asset documentation.

Independent City structure

Virginia is unique among US states in having 38 independent cities that operate as both city and county for governance, assessment, and tax collection purposes. Independent cities (including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Richmond among the largest) handle their own assessment and collect a single combined real estate tax — there is no separate "county" portion. This contrasts with most states where city residents pay both city and county property taxes. The independent city designation dates to 1871 and reflects Virginia's Reconstruction-era urban governance reforms.

Appealing your assessment

Virginia's appeal process runs through the local Board of Equalization (BOE) — each locality has its own. Homeowners file an Application for Review with the Prince William County Real Estate Assessments Office typically within 30-90 days of receiving the annual reassessment notice (deadlines vary by locality). The BOE holds hearings during the assessment cycle — homeowners can present comparable sales, recent appraisals, or independent appraiser testimony. BOE decisions can be appealed to the local Circuit Court within 1 year. Some localities (including Fairfax) reassess annually; others reassess every 2-6 years.

Cities and towns in Prince William County

Prince William County contains 6 incorporated municipalities, ranging from Manassas 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 Prince William County is subject to Prince William County's tax rolls, while the portion outside is subject to the adjacent county's.

City or town	Type	Population (2020)
Dale City	unincorporated	73,416
Woodbridge	unincorporated	44,668
Manassas County seat	independent_city_adjacent	42,772
Lake Ridge	unincorporated	41,058
Bristow	unincorporated	32,353
Gainesville	unincorporated	17,385

About city-level property tax rates: The rate breakdown and calculator on this page reflect the Manassas tax district. Other cities in Prince William 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 Prince William County Real Estate Assessments Office before relying on any estimate.

Frequently asked questions

When are Virginia property taxes due?

Virginia real estate taxes are typically billed semi-annually. Prince William County: due June 5 and December 5 typically — check your locality's specific schedule. Late payments incur a 10% penalty plus interest at 10% annual rate. Most localities offer escrow-via-mortgage payment processing automatically.

How do Virginia's independent cities differ from counties?

Virginia is unique among US states in having 38 independent cities that are not part of any county — these cities operate as both city AND county for tax, governance, and assessment purposes. Residents of independent cities pay one combined real estate tax to the city (not separate city + county taxes). The independent city designation dates to 1871 (Constitutional Convention) and reflects Virginia's Reconstruction-era urban governance reforms. The five largest Virginia independent cities are Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, and Newport News.

How do I apply for the Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption?

Virginia's 100% Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption (state constitutional, since January 2011) provides full exemption from real estate tax on the primary residence. Apply with your locality's Commissioner of the Revenue or Real Estate Assessor with VA documentation showing 100% service-connected disability rating (including 100% individual unemployability ratings). No income limit applies. Surviving spouses (unmarried) of 100% disabled veterans retain the exemption. Surviving spouses of US service members killed in action ALSO receive the full exemption, regardless of veteran's disability status. Application is typically a one-time process; the exemption renews automatically.

How do I appeal my Virginia assessment?

File an Application for Review with the Prince William County Real Estate Assessments Office typically within 30-90 days of receiving the annual reassessment notice (deadlines vary by locality). Most localities have a Board of Equalization (BOE) that holds hearings during the assessment cycle — homeowners can present comparable sales, recent appraisals, or independent appraiser testimony. BOE decisions can be appealed to the local Circuit Court within 1 year. Some localities (including Fairfax) reassess annually; others reassess every 2-6 years.

About Prince William County

Beyond the property tax — a few things you might not know about the place.

Weird fact

Prince William County contains **"Data Center Alley"** — a corridor along the county's northern edge (extending into Loudoun) hosts the highest concentration of data centers in the world. Approximately 70% of all internet traffic globally is estimated to flow through Loudoun-Prince William data centers. The cluster originated when AOL's Dulles Technology Park opened in 1994 — fiber optic infrastructure built for AOL's dial-up business became the backbone for subsequent data center development. The county now has 30+ million square feet of data center space and growing rapidly.

Hometown hero

George Mason IV (the Founding Father) + General Stonewall Jackson connections

The Battle of First Manassas (July 21, 1861) was the first major land battle of the American Civil War, fought along Bull Run Creek in Prince William County. Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson earned his famous nickname "Stonewall" during this battle when General Bernard Bee reportedly shouted "There stands Jackson like a stone wall!" The Manassas National Battlefield Park preserves the battlefield as one of the most-significant Civil War heritage sites in Virginia, drawing approximately 350,000 visitors annually.

Biggest annual event

Manassas National Jubilee Day (July 4) + Civil War Battlefield events

Manassas National Jubilee Day is one of the largest July 4th celebrations in Northern Virginia, drawing 100,000+ attendees with parades, concerts, and fireworks at the historic Old Town Manassas. The Manassas National Battlefield Park hosts annual Civil War commemoration events including the Battle of First Manassas anniversary (July 21) and the Battle of Second Manassas anniversary (August 28-30), drawing Civil War history enthusiasts from across the country.

Property Tax in Prince William County, 2026