Lake Forest property tax: where it goes
A Lake Forest house pays 1.027% of its taxable value in property tax, plus flat charges on the same bill. For a house at $937,000 of market value with the homeowners' exemption, that's about $9,574 a year.
Tax is levied on its assessed value.
Who taxes this house
| Taxing agency | Rate | On $937,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1% general levy (countywide) | 1% | $9,300 |
| Saddleback Valley Unified School District bonds (schools) | 0.0187% | $174 |
| Metropolitan Water District (MWDOC) | 0.0085% | $79 |
| Metropolitan Water District water standby charge | flat | $10 |
| OC Mosquito and Vector Control District: assessment district No. 2 | flat | $9 |
| OC Mosquito and Vector Control District: assessment district No. 1 | flat | $2 |
| Total | 1.027% | $9,574 |
2026-27 tax year, Orange County (Saddleback Valley USD tax rate areas). Exemptions applied: Homeowners' exemption ($7,000).
Ways to pay less
- Homeowners' exemption. Owner-occupied homes get a $7,000 reduction in taxable value if the home was the owner's principal residence on January 1. How: File a claim with the county assessor where the property is located.
Dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Nov 30, 2026 (in 38 days) | Regular assessment appeals: July 2 to November 30 at 5:00 p.m. |
| Feb 15 | Last day for a first-time homeowners' exemption claim to get the full exemption that year. |
Pay or manage it
Sources
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.