South Lake Tahoe, CA · Updated Oct 2026

What a South Lake Tahoe home costs each year

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

Suggestions as you type come from Google; the lookup uses free public map services to find who serves it. Not stored unless you save your house.

Example · a South Lake Tahoe house

$15,161a year · $1,263 a month

Starts at the typical market value, $682,400; your assessed value is often lower. Typical use.

Shopping for home insurance?

Insurers charge very different prices for the same house and coverage. California's free premium survey lists each insurer's price.

Compare insurers' prices

A South Lake Tahoe house at the typical market value ($682,400) costs about $15,200 a year: $7,380 property tax and charges, $1,850 water and sewer, $600 trash, $3,850 electricity and gas, $1,490 home insurance. Estimated from public rates, not anyone's actual bill.

Rates checked Oct 28, 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: Liberty CARE lowers the fixed charge$10.00 instead of $31.70 a month
Liberty lists a Base Services Charge of $31.70 for residential customers and $10.00 for CARE customers.
How: Apply to Liberty for CARE.
Seniors 65+ on CARE: reduced garbage rate$30.76 instead of $49.60 a month
The qualified senior rate is $30.26 a month plus $0.25 street sweeping and $0.25 nuisance abatement, for those who qualify for Liberty's CARE program, are 65 or older and are permanent South Lake Tahoe residents.
How: Qualification is through Liberty's CARE program; see the South Tahoe Refuse rate sheet for the senior rate.
Income slightly above CARE limits: FERA18% off electricity
Families whose income slightly exceeds CARE limits may qualify for FERA, which applies an 18% discount on electricity bills.
How: Check the CPUC CARE/FERA program page for eligibility.

Adjust to match your bills

What you know

Value before exemptionsProp 13 assessed values are often below market. Tax bills in the city also carry flat direct charges (for example the South Lake Tahoe recreation facilities special tax, county service area library, snow removal and ambulance charges, and in some areas Mello-Roos or fire district taxes) that vary by parcel 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, units a month

On your water bill. 1 unit (CCF) is 748 gallons. A typical South Lake Tahoe house uses about 6.

Electricity, kWh a month

On your Liberty Utilities (CalPeco Electric) bill. An electric car adds about 300 kWh.

Gas, therms a month (yearly average)

Money dates

Dec 10in 36 daysLast day to pay the 1st installment of property taxes without penalty.
Feb 15in 103 daysFinal deadline for filing timely claims for Homeowner's, Veteran's, and Blind or Disabled Veteran's exemptions.
Apr 10Last day to pay the 2nd installment of property taxes without penalty.

Who serves this house

Water: South Tahoe Public Utility District; Fiscal year 2026-2027 rates took effect July 1, 2026: $70.11 monthly base for a 3/4" meter, $2.36 per CCF for 1-15 CCF and $3.53 per CCF above 15 CCF for single family.
Property tax: 1.09% of value; 2026-27 tax year, El Dorado County (tax rate area 002-001)
Garbage: South Tahoe Refuse; South Tahoe Refuse's residential rates for the City of South Lake Tahoe show a total monthly rate billed quarterly.
Sewer: South Tahoe Public Utility District; Sewer units are determined by the number of toilets, kitchens and bedrooms for residential properties.
Electricity: Liberty Utilities (CalPeco Electric); Liberty's Schedule No. D-1 is filed for South Lake Tahoe, California.
Gas: Southwest Gas; Southwest Gas tariffs cover Northern California, including South Lake Tahoe, service areas.
Schools: Lake Tahoe Unified; The county's tax rate area chart lists Lake Tahoe as the unified school district for tax rate area 002-001.

Pay or manage your bills

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How these numbers are made

Tax: El Dorado County's 2026-27 rates for tax rate area 002-001 (City of South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Unified, Lake Tahoe Community College) total 1.092267%, the same as the other city tax rate areas 002-002, 002-007 and 002-010; the $7,000 homeowners' exemption comes off taxable value. The starting value is the Census median market value; assessed values under Prop 13 are usually lower. Flat direct charges on the bill are not included.
Water and sewer: South Tahoe Public Utility District 2026-27 rates; a 3/4" meter at 6 CCF a month and 3 sewer units is the district's typical customer. Sewer is 3 units at $23.16 = $69.48 a month.
Garbage: South Tahoe Refuse's unlimited service for the city, $49.60 a month including $0.25 street sweeping and $0.25 nuisance abatement, billed quarterly.
Electricity: Liberty Schedule D-1 with the per-kWh total plus $0.00130 surcharge; baseline is the average of summer 14.5 and winter 19.0 kWh a day. Typical use is the EIA 2024 average for Liberty residential customers in California. The CARE base services charge structure Liberty plans is not modelled.
Gas: Southwest Gas GN-10 (South Lake Tahoe was merged into the Northern California rate area for 2026); baseline is the year-round average of the South Lake Tahoe seasonal daily quantities (summer 5 months, spring/fall 3, winter 4). Typical therms is the EIA California residential average, likely below a Tahoe heating-season household. Insurance is the California statewide average. Gas rates are from the Southwest Gas Northern California statement of rates effective October 1, 2026.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

How South Lake Tahoe compares

A typical South Lake Tahoe house against the 285 California cities we cover, using the same default numbers as the total above.

Per year	South Lake Tahoe	Median	Where it falls
Property tax rate	1.09%	1.13%	lower than 218 of the other 284 California cities we cover
Water	$1,011	$927	higher than 172 of the other 284 California cities we cover
Sewer and utility-bill fees	$834	$596	higher than 143 of the other 196 California cities we cover
Trash	$595	$452	higher than 211 of the other 267 California cities we cover
Electricity and gas	$3,852	$3,421	higher than 251 of the other 284 California cities we cover
Home insurance	$1,492	$1,492	lower than 1 of the other 272 California cities we cover
Total	$15,161	$14,432	higher than 159 of the other 284 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: South Lake Tahoe's property tax rate is 1.09%, lower than 218 of the other 284 California cities we cover. The rate adds up every agency on the bill, not only the city.

Ask: "Property tax in South Lake Tahoe is 1.09%, lower than 218 of the other 284 California cities we cover. What should that money pay for first, and would you change anything about how it is set?"

2. Trash

The fact: Trash pickup here costs about $595 a year for the standard cart, higher than 211 of the other 267 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 $595 a year for the standard cart, higher than 211 of the other 267 California cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything about the service or the price?"

3. Electricity and gas

The fact: Electricity and gas for a typical house here cost about $3,852 a year, higher than 251 of the other 284 California cities we cover. Rates are set mostly by the utility and the state.

Ask: "Electricity and gas here cost about $3,852 a year for a typical house, higher than 251 of the other 284 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 South Lake Tahoe house costs

What is the property tax rate in South Lake Tahoe?

About 1.09% of the value before exemptions a year (2026-27 tax year, El Dorado County (tax rate area 002-001)), plus flat charges on the same bill.

How much is property tax on a $500,000 house in South Lake Tahoe?

About $5,385 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions with the homeowners' exemption.

How much is the water bill in South Lake Tahoe?

About $154 a month for water and sewer at typical use (6 units, or 4,488 gallons a month) on South Tahoe Public Utility District.

How much does trash pickup cost in South Lake Tahoe?

$50 a month for a house.

When is property tax due in South Lake Tahoe?

Dec 10: Last day to pay the 1st installment of property taxes without penalty. Apr 10: Last day to pay the 2nd installment of property taxes without penalty.

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in South Lake Tahoe?

Yes. Seniors 65+ on CARE: reduced garbage rate: The qualified senior rate is $30.26 a month plus $0.25 street sweeping and $0.25 nuisance abatement, for those who qualify for Liberty's CARE program, are 65 or older and are permanent South Lake Tahoe residents.

Where can I get help paying utility bills in South Lake Tahoe?

Income-qualified households: Liberty CARE lowers the fixed charge: Liberty lists a Base Services Charge of $31.70 for residential customers and $10.00 for CARE customers. Apply to Liberty for CARE.

How much does a house in South Lake Tahoe cost to run each year?

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