Hercules, CA · Updated Oct 2026

What a Hercules 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 Hercules house

$14,921a year · $1,243 a month

Starts at $472,631 of value before exemptions. Typical use.

Property tax$5,935
1.275% of $472,631, less $7,000 homeowners' exemption
Flat charges on the tax bill$1,881
Sewer $858 · WCCUSD parcel tax (Measure T, by building size) $168 · WCCUSD assessment $72 · West Contra Costa Healthcare District parcel tax $52 · Stormwater charge (FED STORMWATER A-6 on the bill) $35 · SF Bay Restoration Authority parcel tax (Measure AA) $12 · Emergency medical services charge (EMERGENCY MED B) $10 · East Bay regional trails assessment $5 · Mosquito & vector control $3 · HERCULES 83-2 Z10 assessment (as named on the bill) $161 · HERCULES 83-2 Z8 assessment (zone varies by street; as named on the bill) $128 · Rodeo-Hercules Fire District charge (RODEO/HERC FIRE) $111 · Rodeo-Hercules Fire District parcel tax (RHFPD) $266
Electricity and gas$4,002
500 kWh a month $2,726 · 31.72 therms $979 · city utility tax $296
Water$915
5 units (CCF) a month on East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD): water $71, city utility tax $6 a month
Trash$697
35-gal trash, $58 a month
Home insurance$1,492
Typical premium $1,492

A typical Hercules house pays about $14,900 a year: $7,820 property tax and charges, $910 water, $700 trash, $4,000 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:

Switch to the 20-gal mini-can cartUp to $123 a year
Your cart costs $58 a month; the smallest costs $48. Worth it if you rarely fill it.
How: Call Republic Services Customer Service at 510.262.7100 to change your cart service level.
Seniors 65+: WCCUSD parcel tax exemptionMeasure T parcel tax waived
Owners 65 or older who live in their single-family home can be exempted from the school district's Measure T parcel tax. Once filed, the exemption renews automatically each year; it must be filed again after a move.
How: Apply through the online application portal (OAP.SCI-CG.COM) with a current property tax bill, a California driver's license, ID card or passport, and a current utility bill; forms are due June 30 each year. Questions: (844) 332-0549.
Seniors 62+: Republic Services senior rate$2 a month less
Account holders 62 or older may qualify for a discounted rate: $56.07 a month instead of $58.07 for a 35-gallon cart.
How: Call Republic Services Customer Service at 510.262.7100 and be ready to provide proof of age.
Two free curbside cleanups a yearFree
Hercules residential service account holders can schedule up to two on-call collections each calendar year at no additional charge, for example 3 large items or 5 electronic waste items.
How: Call Republic Services at 510.262.7100 to schedule.
Low-income households: EBMUD Customer Assistance Program50% off water service charge
Eligible single-family customers can get 50% off the standard bimonthly water service charge and 50% off home water use (up to 1,050 gallons per person a month), plus 35% off EBMUD wastewater service and flow charges. A household of 1-2 qualifies with income of $67,900 or less. Enrollment lasts up to two years.
How: Apply online through EBMUD's CAP application.
Income-qualified households: PG&E CARE or FERA30–35% off electricity
CARE takes 30–35% off electricity and drops the base services charge to $6 a month; FERA takes 18% off for incomes slightly above the CARE limit.
How: Apply with PG&E; application forms are also available through community agencies.
EBMUD lawn conversion rebateUp to $2.00 per sq. ft.
EBMUD pays up to $2.00 per square foot to convert a lawn to a water-wise garden; landscape rebates for a home are capped at $2,000 in any 24-month period.
How: Apply through EBMUD's rebates page.

Adjust to match your bills

What you knowTrash cartThe price is set by the size of your trash cart and includes a 65-gallon blue recycling cart and a 65-gallon green organics cart. The default trash cart is 35 gallons.

Value before exemptionsEnter the assessed (net) value from your tax bill: under Prop 13 it is often well below what the house would sell for. The WCCUSD Measure T parcel tax is 7.2 cents per square foot of building, so it varies by house (bills we checked ranged from $129.74 to $173.44). The Hercules 83-2 line depends on the zone: bills we checked showed Z3&4 $146.22, Z7 $159.62, Z8 $128.40 and Z9 $119.42; every one also had Z10 $161.04.

I live here and have the Homeowners' exemptionSomeone on the title is 65 or older

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, units a month

On your water bill. 1 unit (CCF) is 748 gallons. A typical Hercules house uses about 5.

Electricity, kWh a month

On your PG&E delivery with MCE Light Green generation bill. An electric car adds about 300 kWh.

Gas, therms a month (yearly average)

Money dates

Nov 1in 9 daysFirst property tax installment due; pay by Dec 10, 2026 to avoid a 10% late-payment penalty.
Nov 30, 2026in 38 daysLast day of Contra Costa County's 2026 assessment appeal filing period (opened July 2).
Feb 1in 101 daysSecond installment due; after April 12, 2027 a 10% late-payment penalty and a $20 cost are added.
Feb 15in 115 daysLast day for a first-time homeowners' exemption claim to get the full exemption for that year.

Who serves this house

Water: East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD); EBMUD rates effective July 1, 2026: a $28.60 monthly service charge for a 5/8 or 3/4 inch meter ($57.20 on a bimonthly bill) plus $8.40 per unit (CCF) for the first 7 units a month, $9.74 from 7 to 16 units and $11.49 above 16 units. Homes in Elevation Bands 2 and 3 pay an elevation surcharge of $1.33 or $2.84 per unit
Property tax: 1.27% of value; 2026-27 tax year, Contra Costa County (Hercules tax rate area 04001)
Garbage: Republic Services; Republic Services is the exclusive franchised hauler in the City of Hercules. Weekly service includes a trash cart (35 gallons by default), a 65-gallon blue recycling cart and a 65-gallon green organic waste cart; rates are set by the size of the trash cart.
Sewer: Property tax bill; The 2026-27 county property tax bill for a Hercules home lists a HERCULES SEWER charge of $857.50.
Electricity: MCE generation, PG&E delivery; MCE is the default electricity generation provider in Hercules, and PG&E delivers the power and sends the bill.
Gas: PG&E; Hercules is in PG&E's gas service territory.
Schools: West Contra Costa Unified School District; West Contra Costa Unified bonds and community college bonds are part of the property tax rate; the school district also has a parcel tax and an assessment on the bill.

Pay or manage your bills

Your water

Source: EBMUD's main supply is snow and rain in the Mokelumne River watershed in the Sierra Nevada, carried 90 miles by aqueduct to East Bay treatment plants and reservoirs.
Lead: EBMUD says its treatment plants supply no lead; in its tap sampling, 0 of 53 sites were above the lead action level.
PFAS: EBMUD has finished its initial PFAS monitoring under the new rules, and all results so far have met the standards.

Other CA cities

How these numbers are made

Garbage: Republic Services' Hercules residential rate sheet (header: effective July 2025), each the total of the collection charge, the IRRF charge and the City solid waste fee: $47.81 a month for a 20-gallon mini-can, $58.07 for the default 35-gallon cart, $105.76 for 65 gallons and $152.56 for 95 gallons, with a 65-gallon recycling cart and a 65-gallon organics cart included. Republic bills every 3 months, in advance.
Water: EBMUD Schedule A from July 1, 2026, monthly-billing column: $28.60 service charge for a 5/8 or 3/4 inch meter, $8.40 per unit for the first 7 units, $9.74 to 16 units and $11.49 above. We assume Elevation Band 1 (no surcharge); hillside homes may be in Band 2 or 3 and pay $1.33 or $2.84 more per unit. The page starts at 5 units a month, EBMUD's median single-family use. Sewer: the City of Hercules charge of $857.50 on the 2026-27 property tax bill (counted with the tax bill's flat charges; there is no sewer charge on the EBMUD bill). Hercules' 8% utility users tax covers electricity, gas and water as well as telephone and cable.
Property tax: Contra Costa County 2026-27 rates for tax rate area 04001, the most common one for Hercules homes in the county's parcel data (3,110 of 3,664 single-family parcels with a Hercules address), read from a 2026-27 secured tax bill for a single-family home there: 1% countywide tax, 0.2413% West Contra Costa Unified bonds (six issues), 0.0152% community college bonds, 0.0163% BART and 0.0018% East Bay Regional Park District, 1.2746% in all, less the $7,000 homeowners' exemption. Flat charges are from that bill ($1,881.04 in all with the sewer charge); the Measure T parcel tax is 7.2 cents per square foot of building, so it varies, and the Hercules 83-2 zone line varies by street (we use Z8 $128.40; others run $119.42 to $159.62).
The starting value is the median 2026 assessed value of single-family parcels (use code 11) in tax rate area 04001 with a Hercules address, $472,631; under Prop 13 recent buyers have higher assessed values.
Electricity: PG&E schedule E-1 for a non-CARE (Income Tier 3) home with MCE Light Green generation, the default for Hercules. Delivery is PG&E's E-1 total bundled rate ($0.32561 Tier 1, $0.40702 Tier 2) minus its $0.12855 generation charge and its ($0.01011) Bundled PCIA; to that we add MCE's April 1, 2026 Light Green E1 generation ($0.12855) and the $0.03720 PCIA and franchise fee from the March 1, 2026 PG&E-MCE comparison: $0.37292 per kWh up to the baseline and $0.45433 above. PG&E's $0.79343 a day base services charge is $24.13 a month. Baseline: territory X, 9.8 kWh a day for 4 summer months and 9.7 for 8 winter months, about 296 kWh a month. The PCIA depends on the year an account moved to MCE. Not included: MCE's and PG&E's bill credits.
Gas: PG&E G-1 (Oct. 1, 2026) $2.42480 and $2.92792 per therm plus the $0.12103 public purpose surcharge, territory X baseline weighted 7 summer, 3 off-peak and 2 on-peak months (about 30.1 therms a month). Hercules' 8% utility users tax is added to electricity, gas and water. Typical use is PG&E's 2024 residential average (EIA, about 500 kWh a month) and California's 2024 residential gas average (EIA, about 32 therms a month). Insurance is the 2022 California average homeowners premium (NAIC via the Insurance Information Institute) until you enter your own.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

How Hercules compares

A typical Hercules house against the 110 California cities we cover, using the same default numbers as the total above.

Per year	Hercules	Median	Where it falls
Property tax rate	1.27%	1.13%	higher than 99 of the other 109 California cities we cover
Water	$847	$955	lower than 68 of the other 109 California cities we cover
Sewer and utility-bill fees	$68	$584	lower than 69 of the other 76 California cities we cover
Trash	$697	$438	higher than 90 of the other 101 California cities we cover
Electricity and gas	$4,002	$3,556	higher than 97 of the other 109 California cities we cover
Home insurance	$1,492	$1,492	in the middle of 108 other California cities we cover
Total	$14,921	$15,240	lower than 60 of the other 109 California cities we cover

Cities bill differently (some put trash on the tax bill, some cover more services), so a higher number isn't necessarily worse. The property tax rate is compared instead of dollars because house values differ.

Questions to ask your candidates

Each one starts from a number above. Any candidate can answer them.

1. Property tax rate

The fact: Hercules's property tax rate is 1.27%, higher than 99 of the other 109 California cities we cover. The rate adds up every agency on the bill, not only the city.

Ask: "Property tax in Hercules is 1.27%, higher than 99 of the other 109 California cities we cover. What should that money pay for first, and would you change anything about how it is set?"

2. Sewer and utility-bill fees

The fact: Sewer and flat utility-bill charges here come to about $68 a year, lower than 69 of the other 76 California cities we cover. Some cities bill sewer on the property tax bill instead, which is not counted here.

Ask: "Sewer and flat utility-bill charges here cost about $68 a year, lower than 69 of the other 76 California cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything?"

3. Trash

The fact: Trash pickup here costs about $697 a year for the standard cart, higher than 90 of the other 101 California cities we cover. Where trash is billed through the tax bill or a separate hauler, it is not counted here.

Ask: "Trash pickup here costs about $697 a year for the standard cart, higher than 90 of the other 101 California cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything about the service or the price?"

4. Electricity and gas

The fact: Electricity and gas for a typical house here cost about $4,002 a year, higher than 97 of the other 109 California cities we cover. Rates are set mostly by the utility and the state.

Ask: "Electricity and gas here cost about $4,002 a year for a typical house, higher than 97 of the other 109 California cities we cover. Which parts of that can the city influence, and what would you do about them?"

See who is running in your city →

Common questions about Hercules house costs

What is the property tax rate in Hercules?

About 1.27% of the value before exemptions a year (2026-27 tax year, Contra Costa County (Hercules tax rate area 04001)), plus flat charges on the same bill (Sewer $858, WCCUSD parcel tax (Measure T, by building size) $168, WCCUSD assessment $72, West Contra Costa Healthcare District parcel tax $52).

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

About $8,165 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions with the homeowners' exemption, including $1,881 of flat charges.

How much is the water bill in Hercules?

About $71 a month for water at typical use (5 units, or 3,740 gallons a month) on East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD).

How much does trash pickup cost in Hercules?

$48 to $153 a month, depending on the trash cart size (20-gal mini-can, 35-gal trash, 65-gal trash, 95-gal trash).

When is property tax due in Hercules?

Nov 1: First property tax installment due; pay by Dec 10, 2026 to avoid a 10% late-payment penalty. Feb 1: Second installment due; after April 12, 2027 a 10% late-payment penalty and a $20 cost are added.

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Hercules?

Yes. Seniors 65+: WCCUSD parcel tax exemption: Owners 65 or older who live in their single-family home can be exempted from the school district's Measure T parcel tax. Once filed, the exemption renews automatically each year; it must be filed again after a move.

Where can I get help paying utility bills in Hercules?

Low-income households: EBMUD Customer Assistance Program: Eligible single-family customers can get 50% off the standard bimonthly water service charge and 50% off home water use (up to 1,050 gallons per person a month), plus 35% off EBMUD wastewater service and flow charges. A household of 1-2 qualifies with income of $67,900 or less. Enrollment lasts up to two years. Apply online through EBMUD's CAP application.

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

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