Atwater property tax: where it goes
A Atwater house pays 1.068% of its taxable value in property tax. For a house at $363,400 of market value with the homeowners' exemption, that's about $3,808 a year.
Tax is levied on Proposition 13 limits: the 1% general rate plus voter-approved bond rates, and yearly assessment increases generally limited to 2% until a change in ownership or new construction; a qualifying owner-occupied home gets a $7,000 reduction.
Who taxes this house
| Taxing agency | Rate | On $363,400 |
|---|---|---|
| Countywide 1% general tax (Prop 13) | 1% | $3,564 |
| Atwater Elementary School District bonds (schools) | 0.0455% | $162 |
| Merced Union High School District bonds (schools) | 0.0114% | $41 |
| Merced Community College District bonds (schools) | 0.0115% | $41 |
| Total | 1.068% | $3,808 |
2026–27 tax year, Merced County (tax rate area 001-001). Exemptions applied: Homeowners' exemption ($7,000).
Ways to pay less
- 100% disabled veterans: property tax exemption. The basic Disabled Veterans' Exemption, also called the $100,000 exemption, is compounded annually by an inflation factor; a larger low-income exemption (the $150,000 exemption) is for claimants under a household income limit. How: File form BOE-261-G, Claim for Disabled Veterans' Property Tax Exemption, with the county assessor.
- Seniors, blind or disabled: property tax postponement. The Merced County Tax Collector administers the Senior Citizen Postponement Program for seniors, blind and disabled people. How: Contact the Merced County Treasurer-Tax Collector.
- Missed the homeowners' exemption deadline? File by December 10. Homeowners who miss the February 15 filing deadline have until December 10 to file for an 80% exemption. How: File the claim with the Merced County Assessor.
Dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Nov 1 (in 10 days) | First property tax installment due. Delinquent after Dec 10, then a 10% penalty. |
| Nov 30 (in 39 days) | Last day to file an appeal of the value on the annual tax roll (the filing window runs July 2 to November 30). |
| Feb 15 | Last day to file the homeowners' exemption for the full year. |
Pay or manage it
Sources
- Merced County property tax rates, FY ending June 30, 2027
- Merced County assessor certified values by TRA, 2026
- BOE tax rate area chart, Merced County 2026/27
- California BOE: Homeowners' Exemption
- Merced County: Assessment Appeals
- Merced County: Property Tax Exemption Filing
- Merced County Tax Collector
- California BOE: Disabled Veterans' Exemption
Checked October 22, 2026. Every number here comes from the public sources listed, matched by our checker.
Rates change every year; this page shows when it was last checked. Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.