Cathedral City property tax: where it goes
A Cathedral City house pays 1.201% of its taxable value in property tax, plus flat charges on the same bill. For a house at $453,100 of market value with the homeowners' exemption, that's about $5,374 a year.
Tax is levied on the assessed value (Prop 13).
Who taxes this house
| Taxing agency | Rate | On $453,100 |
|---|---|---|
| 1% general levy (countywide) | 1% | $4,461 |
| Palm Springs Unified School District bonds (schools) | 0.0564% | $252 |
| Desert Community College District bonds (schools) | 0.035% | $156 |
| Coachella Valley Water District State Water Project | 0.11% | $491 |
| Coachella Valley mosquito, fire ant and disease control assessment | flat | $14 |
| Total | 1.201% | $5,374 |
2026-27 tax year, Riverside County (tax rate area 019-000, Cathedral City: Palm Springs Unified, Desert Community College and CVWD State Water Project). Exemptions applied: Homeowners' exemption ($7,000).
Ways to pay less
- Seniors 65+ on CARE: utility users tax exemption. Cathedral City residents who are 65 or over and on the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program are exempt from the City's 3% utility users tax, but must apply to the City. How: Get on SCE's CARE program first, then apply to the City of Cathedral City for the exemption.
Dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Nov 30, 2026 (in 38 days) | Last day to file a 2026 regular assessment appeal in Riverside County (filing period July 2 to November 30, 2026). |
| Dec 10 (in 48 days) | First property tax installment is due Nov 1 and becomes delinquent Dec 10; taxes not paid by the delinquent date get a 10% penalty. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Cathedral City's residential tax-roll trash rate rises from $32.43 to $34.44 a month for calendar year 2027. |
| Feb 15 | Last day for a first-time homeowners' exemption claim to get the full exemption for the year. |
| Apr 10 | Second property tax installment is due Feb 1 and becomes delinquent Apr 10; taxes not paid by the delinquent date get a 10% penalty. |
Pay or manage it
Sources
- Discover Cathedral City: utility users tax
- Riverside County Resolution 2026-153 (2026-27 tax rates)
- Riverside County Auditor-Controller: FY 2025-26 tax rates by district
- Riverside County Auditor-Controller: primary tax rate area numbers and names
- Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District: July 14, 2026 board packet (FY 2026-27 assessment)
- California BOE: homeowners' exemption
- California BOE Publication 29: property tax overview
- California BOE: 2026 assessment appeals filing periods
Checked October 21, 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.