By Amanda Galbraith, Broker/Owner, Arkansas Property Management & Real Estate | June 17, 2026

Property taxes are one of the most-searched home-cost questions in Central Arkansas right now — and one of the easiest to get wrong, because the sticker number on a listing isn't what you'll actually pay. The tax bill follows the home, not the seller, and a few Arkansas-specific rules can swing your number by hundreds of dollars a year.

Here's exactly how it works in Maumelle and the rest of Pulaski County, with real numbers you can plug your own home into.

How Arkansas calculates your property tax

Two pieces drive every Arkansas property tax bill: your assessed value and your millage rate.

The assessed value isn't your home's full market price. Arkansas assesses residential property at 20% of the appraised (market) value set by the county assessor. So a home the assessor values at $320,000 has a taxable assessed value of $64,000 — not $320,000.

That assessed value is then multiplied by the millage rate. A "mill" is one-tenth of a penny, or $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. Millage rates are set by the county, your city, and your school district, so they vary across Pulaski County. The math looks like this:

• Appraised (market) value × 20% = assessed value
• Assessed value × (millage ÷ 1,000) = annual tax before credits

For example, at 30 mills a home assessed at $64,000 would owe $1,920 a year. Most of the Little Rock metro runs higher than that once city and school millage are layered in.

What a Maumelle or Little Rock home actually costs

Translated into the effective rate — the share of market value you actually pay — Maumelle homeowners pay around 1.1% of value, and the City of Little Rock runs closer to 1.4%.

Here's what that means in practice:

• A $320,000 Maumelle home (right around the local median): roughly $2,700–$3,600 a year before credits, depending on your exact school district and assessment. Maumelle carries the highest median tax bill in Pulaski County at about $2,720.
• A $200,000 Little Rock home: roughly $2,800 a year before credits at the city's ~70-mill rate.

Subtract the homestead credit (more on that below), and a typical owner-occupied Maumelle home nets out closer to $2,100–$3,000 a year, or about $175–$250 a month in your escrow payment.

These are estimates to set expectations, not quotes. Your exact figure depends on the precise millage for your address and the assessor's value — and you can pull the real number for any property from the Pulaski County Assessor or Treasurer before you ever write an offer. This is one of the first things I check for buyers when we're comparing two homes at the same price.

The homestead credit, the 5% cap, and the senior freeze

Arkansas voters approved Amendment 79 back in 2000, and it gives homeowners three meaningful breaks. If the home is your primary residence, this is real money.

The homestead credit. Every owner-occupant can knock a flat credit off their bill. It rose to $600 for 2026 tax bills — up from $425 in recent years. It's a direct reduction in tax owed, not a reduction in value, so it's worth the same $600 whether your home is worth $200,000 or $700,000. You apply once through the Pulaski County Assessor's Office by October 15, and it stays in place as long as you own and live there.

The 5% cap. Once you've claimed the homestead credit, your taxable value can only rise 5% per year until it catches up to full assessed value. This is why longtime owners often pay noticeably less than a brand-new buyer next door — their value has been climbing slowly while the market jumped.

The senior and disability freeze. Homeowners who are 65 or older or permanently disabled can freeze their assessed value, locking in their taxable base regardless of where the market goes.

What buyers need to know: reassessment, escrow, and proration

If you're buying, three things will catch you off guard if no one explains them.

The cap resets when the home sells. That 5% cap is tied to the current owner. When a home changes hands, the protection comes off and the value resets to full assessed value. So the low tax figure on an older listing — based on the previous owner's capped value — is not what you'll pay. Always budget off the home's market price, not the seller's old bill. This is exactly the kind of surprise I flag before my buyers fall in love with a number.

Your taxes ride in your escrow. If you finance, your lender collects roughly one-twelfth of the annual tax with each mortgage payment and pays the county for you when the bill comes due. That's why the $175–$250-a-month figure matters more than the annual one — it's part of your real monthly payment, right alongside your homeowners insurance.

Taxes prorate at closing. Arkansas collects taxes one year in arrears and due October 15, so at the closing table the bill gets split based on your closing date — the seller covers their share of the year, you cover yours. It shows up as a credit or debit on your settlement statement, and your title company handles the math.

Property taxes are just one line in the full cost of owning here. They sit right next to your closing costs as a buyer, any HOA or POA dues for your subdivision, and the prorations you'll see on closing day. Knowing all of them up front is the difference between a comfortable budget and a monthly surprise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much are property taxes on a $300,000 house in Pulaski County?

Expect roughly $2,500 to $3,400 a year before credits, depending on whether the home is in Maumelle, Little Rock, North Little Rock, or another taxing district. Subtract the $600 homestead credit if it's your primary residence, and the net is closer to $1,900–$2,800.

When are Arkansas property taxes due?

They're due by October 15 each year and are paid one year in arrears — your 2025 taxes are paid in 2026. Separately, you must assess your property between January 1 and May 31, or you'll face a 10% late assessment penalty.

Does buying a home raise the property taxes?

It can. The 5% annual cap that protected the previous owner resets when the home sells, so a newly purchased home is often reassessed closer to its full market value. Budget off the price you're paying, not the seller's current tax bill.

How do I lower my property taxes in Arkansas?

Claim the homestead credit if you haven't (it's worth $600 in 2026), make sure you've filed for the senior or disability freeze if you qualify, and appeal your assessed value with the county if you believe it's too high. The deadline to apply for the homestead credit is October 15.

Are property taxes included in my mortgage?

If you escrow, yes — your lender collects about one-twelfth of the annual bill each month and pays the county when it's due. Cash buyers pay the county directly each year.

The bottom line

Property taxes in Maumelle run a little over 1% of your home's value — manageable, predictable, and lower than much of the country once you factor in the homestead credit. The trap is budgeting off an old listing's tax figure instead of what the home will actually be assessed at after you buy.

If you're weighing two homes or trying to nail down your true monthly payment, I'm happy to pull the exact tax figures and run your full cost-of-ownership number before you make an offer. Download my free Central Arkansas Home Sellers Guide, or reach out anytime and we'll walk through it together.

About Amanda Galbraith
Amanda Galbraith is a residential real estate agent and Broker/Owner of Arkansas Property Management & Real Estate, serving the greater Little Rock area. She specializes in helping first-time sellers navigate the process from pricing to closing, as well as investors looking to grow their portfolio. Connect with Amanda at www.ar-property.com or www.amandagalbraith.ar-property.com.

Arkansas Property Management & Real Estate | www.ar-property.com. This article is general information, not tax or legal advice — verify your specific figures with the Pulaski County Assessor and Treasurer.