Grass Valley, CA · Updated Oct 2026

What a Grass Valley house pays

Property tax, water, trash and energy from public rates. Look up your address to make it yours, and see how to pay less.

Sent only to free public map services to find who serves it. Not stored unless you save your house.

Example · a Grass Valley house

$11,928a year · $994 a month

Starts at the typical market value, $482,200; your assessed value is often lower. Typical use.

A Grass Valley house at the typical market value ($482,200) pays about $11,900 a year: $5,060 property tax and charges, $1,530 water and sewer, $500 trash, $3,350 electricity and gas, $1,490 home insurance. Estimated from public rates, not anyone's actual bill.

Rates checked Oct 22, 2026. Insurance: what you enter, or a typical premium until you do. Sources are listed at the bottom.

Ways to pay less

Nothing here applies to every house automatically. These are worth checking:

Homeowners' exemption: $7,000 off taxable value
The California Constitution provides a $7,000 reduction in the taxable value for a qualifying owner-occupied home.
How: Make a one-time filing with the county assessor where the property is located (claim form BOE-266).
Income-qualified households: PG&E CARE or FERA30–35% off electricity
CARE takes 30–35% off electricity for income-qualified households; FERA takes 18% off for incomes slightly above the CARE limit.
How: Apply with PG&E; application forms are also available through community agencies.
Seniors and low-income households: WM 35-gallon cart at a reduced rate35-gallon cart $29.49 a month
WM lists a senior/low-income 35-gallon option, including recycling and organics, at $29.49 a month from July 1, 2026.
How: WM publishes how to apply for the senior and low-income discount for eligible Grass Valley residents.

Adjust to match your bills

What you knowTrash cartA senior/low-income 35-gallon option is $29.49 a month; recycling and organics carts come with trash service.

Value before exemptionsProp 13 assessed values are often well below market. Some parcels pay special taxes or assessments on the tax bill that vary by neighborhood and are not included; check your own bill.

I live here and have the Homeowners' exemption

Home insurance, a yearFrom your policy. We start at $1,492, California statewide average, NAIC data for 2022 as published by the Insurance Information Institute (California figures from the California Department of Insurance).

Earthquake insurance, a yearSeparate from home insurance. Most owners don't have it.

Your use

Water, thousands of gallons a month

On your water bill. A typical house uses 5,000–8,000 gallons.

Electricity, kWh a month

On your PG&E bill. An electric car adds about 300 kWh.

Gas, therms a month (yearly average)

Money dates

Dec 10in 48 daysLast day to pay the 1st installment of the current secured property tax bill without penalty; a penalty of 10% attaches thereafter.
Apr 10Last day to pay the 2nd installment of the current secured property tax bill without penalty; a penalty of 10% and a $10 cost fee attaches thereafter.

Who serves this house

Water: City of Grass Valley; Monthly fixed charge for a 5/8 inch meter; uniform residential rate per thousand gallons.
Property tax: 1.06% of value; 2024-25 tax year rates (the latest located), Nevada County (tax rate area 001-056)
Garbage: WM; The city has chosen WM to provide waste pickup.
Sewer: City of Grass Valley; Wastewater user rates are set by resolution of the Grass Valley City Council.
Electricity: PG&E; PG&E's electric service territory lists Grass Valley (ZIP codes 95945, 95949).
Gas: PG&E; PG&E's gas service territory lists Grass Valley (ZIP codes 95945, 95949).

Pay or manage your bills

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How these numbers are made

Tax: Nevada County 2024-25 multi-year rates for tax rate area 001-056 (City of Grass Valley, Grass Valley Elementary, Nevada Joint Union High, Sierra College): 1% plus the four voter-approved bonds listed, less the $7,000 homeowners' exemption. TRA 001-056 has the most parcels (2,820) of the Grass Valley city areas on the 2026 certified-values report. The starting value is the Census median market value; Prop 13 assessed values are usually lower. Direct charges on the bill were not itemized and are not included.
Water: City of Grass Valley, fiscal year 2026/27 column of the maximum rates adopted by Resolution R2023-48: $36.82 a month for a 5/8 inch meter plus $5.10 per thousand gallons. Those are maximum rates adopted for each year; the city's annual-increase resolution was not read.
Water service: this page uses City of Grass Valley rates. The city's 1998 General Plan chapter on public facilities says the city system served about 60% of the incorporated city and the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) served the rest; no current split was found, so a Grass Valley address may be billed by NID instead, at NID's own rates.
Sewer: the Single Family/Duplex fixed monthly charge, $56.00 (fiscal year 2026/27 maximum); the schedule lists no volume charge for residences.
Garbage: WM's rates effective July 1, 2026; the price includes recycling and organics carts.
Energy: PG&E E-1 with the $0.79343 daily base charge as 24.13 a month; baseline territory P (1,500'-3,000' band for Nevada County; Grass Valley sits at about 2,400 ft) with a year-round weighted baseline. Gas is G-1 plus the public purpose surcharge. Typical use is the PG&E average from EIA. Insurance is the California statewide average.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

Common questions about Grass Valley house costs

What is the property tax rate in Grass Valley?

About 1.06% of the value before exemptions a year (2024-25 tax year rates (the latest located), Nevada County (tax rate area 001-056)), plus flat charges on the same bill.

How much is property tax on a $500,000 house in Grass Valley?

About $5,250 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions with the homeowners' exemption.

How much is the water bill in Grass Valley?

About $127 a month for water and sewer at typical use (7,000 gallons a month) on City of Grass Valley.

How much does trash pickup cost in Grass Valley?

$42 to $57 a month, depending on the trash cart size (35-gallon cart, includes recycling and organics (rates effective July 1, 2026), 64-gallon cart, includes recycling and organics (rates effective July 1, 2026), 96-gallon cart, includes recycling and organics (rates effective July 1, 2026)).

When is property tax due in Grass Valley?

Dec 10: Last day to pay the 1st installment of the current secured property tax bill without penalty; a penalty of 10% attaches thereafter. Apr 10: Last day to pay the 2nd installment of the current secured property tax bill without penalty; a penalty of 10% and a $10 cost fee attaches thereafter.

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Grass Valley?

Yes. Seniors and low-income households: WM 35-gallon cart at a reduced rate: WM lists a senior/low-income 35-gallon option, including recycling and organics, at $29.49 a month from July 1, 2026.

Where can I get help paying utility bills in Grass Valley?

Income-qualified households: PG&E CARE or FERA: CARE takes 30–35% off electricity for income-qualified households; FERA takes 18% off for incomes slightly above the CARE limit. Apply with PG&E; application forms are also available through community agencies.

How much does a house in Grass Valley cost to run each year?

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