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Assessor
The Tax Assessor’s office is located in Room 115 of City Hall. This office can assist you online with detailed information on real estate and personal property tax assessments and property tax maps. The assessor's office also keeps track of ownership changes, maintains maps of parcel boundaries, keeps descriptions of buildings and property characteristics up to date, keeps track of individuals and properties eligible for exemptions and other forms of property tax relief and analyzes trends in sales prices, construction costs, and rents to estimate the value of all assessable property.
In 2016, the total value of taxable property in Portland is approximately $7.69 billion, which generates over $164 million in property tax revenue to fund the operation of Maine’s largest city. The Assessor’s Department maintains tax records on approximately 22,600 real estate accounts, 4,100 business personal property accounts, and 481 tax maps.
Both real estate (land and buildings) and personal property (tangible goods) are subject to taxation, unless they are exempted by law or subject to another form of taxation, such as the excise tax for motor vehicles and boats. Since home furnishings are largely exempt from personal property taxes, the property tax bill for most Maine homeowners is based on the value of the land, the house and the outbuildings.
Property taxes are levied according to a mill rate. The mill rate is the dollars/cents per $1,000 of value that you will pay in property taxes. For example, if you own a home valued at $100,000 and the tax rate is 21.11 mills, then your tax bill will be $2,111 (or $21.11 x 100).
Property Tax & Records
In 2016, the total value of taxable property in Portland is approximately $7.69 billion, which generates over $164 million in property tax revenue to fund the operation of Maine’s largest city. The Assessor’s Department maintains tax records on approximately 22,600 real estate accounts, 4,100 business personal property accounts, and 481 tax maps.
Both real estate (land and buildings) and personal property (tangible goods) are subject to taxation, unless they are exempted by law or subject to another form of taxation, such as the excise tax for motor vehicles and boats. Since home furnishings are largely exempt from personal property taxes, the property tax bill for most Maine homeowners is based on the value of the land, the house and the outbuildings.
Mill Rate
Property taxes are levied according to a mill rate. The mill rate is the dollars/cents per $1,000 of value that you will pay in property taxes. For example, if you own a home valued at $100,000 and the tax rate is 21.11 mills, then your tax bill will be $2,111 (or $21.11 x 100).