What a Columbia Heights 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.
Starts at $280,300 of value before exemptions. Typical use.
- Property tax$4,077
1.561% of $280,300, less $21,323 homestead market value exclusion
- Flat charges on the tax bill$24
Anoka County solid waste management charge (per home) $24
- Electricity and gas$2,034
587.82 kWh a month $1,198 · 61.79 therms $836
- Water and sewer$1,270
7,000 gallons a month on City of Columbia Heights: water $56, sewer $35, storm water (single-family residential r-1) $7, xcel energy electric franchise fee (residential, passed through on the xcel bill) $4, centerpoint energy gas franchise fee (residential, passed through on the centerpoint bill) $4 a month
- Trash$489
60-gallon container, weekly pickup, plus recycling, $41 a month
- Home insurance$1,774
Typical premium $1,774
A typical Columbia Heights house pays about $9,700 a year: $4,100 property tax and charges, $1,270 water and sewer, $490 trash, $2,030 electricity and gas, $1,770 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 30-gallon container, weekly pickup, plus recycling cartUp to $16 a year
Your cart costs $41 a month; the smallest costs $39. Worth it if you rarely fill it.
How: To make changes to existing service, complete the online support form on the City refuse page.
File for homestead
Property taxes are lower on owner-occupied homes, and the homestead market value exclusion lowers the taxable value of homes valued under $517,200.
How: Apply with Anoka County: if you buy and move in by December 1 and apply by December 31, the next year's tax reflects homestead.
Claim the Minnesota property tax refundSpecial refund up to $1,000
The special refund, regardless of income, pays back 60% of a property tax increase beyond 12% and $100 from the prior year, up to $1,000.
How: Apply to the Minnesota Department of Revenue by the filing deadline.
Seniors 65+: defer part of your property tax
With the Senior Citizens Property Tax Deferral, the tax you pay is 3% of household income and the state pays the rest as a loan, repaid with interest when you sell or cancel.
How: You must be 65 or older (if married, the other spouse at least 62) with household income of $96,000 or less; apply by November 1.
Veterans with a 70%+ disability rating: market value exclusion$150,000 or $300,000 off market value
Qualifying veterans with a 70% or higher disability rating get a $150,000 market value exclusion; totally and permanently disabled veterans get $300,000.
How: Apply with Anoka County by December 15; veterans rated 70% or higher reapply every year.
Pay property tax by check to skip the fee
Anoka County's online payments carry a 2.6% fee for cards and a $3.50 fee for eCheck; check by mail, cash or check in person, and the Direct Payment Program have no service fee.
How: Mail a check or enroll in the Direct Payment Program (call 763-323-5400).
Seniors 62+: income-qualified water, sewer and garbage ratesQuarterly fixed fees $31.16 water, $24.48 sewer, refuse $83.27
Columbia Heights lists income-qualified senior rates for garbage, water and sewer; they require an annual application and income eligibility, with the head or spouse aged 62 or older.
How: Apply every year with the City; the rates page gives the income-qualified rates.
Money dates
- Nov 1in 9 daysApply for the Senior Citizens Property Tax Deferral to defer next year's taxes
- Dec 15in 53 daysApply for the disabled veterans' market value exclusion with Anoka County
- Dec 31in 69 daysApply for homestead (own and occupy by December 1) for next year's tax
- May 15First half of real property taxes due
Who serves this house
- Water
- City of Columbia Heights
- City of Columbia Heights 2026 single-family residential water rates (billed quarterly)
- Property tax
- 1.56% of value
- 2026 taxes payable, Anoka County (Columbia Heights tax area 19: Columbia Heights schools ISD 13, Mississippi WMO)
- Garbage
- Walters Recycling and Refuse (city contract)
- Walters Recycling and Refuse is the City's contracted hauler for garbage and recycling
- Sewer
- City of Columbia Heights
- The Columbia Heights Water and Sewer Department provides water, storm drainage, and sanitary sewer services
- Electricity
- Xcel Energy
- Xcel Energy is listed as serving Columbia Heights with electricity only
- Gas
- CenterPoint Energy
- The City lists a residential gas franchise fee of $4 a month for CenterPoint Energy
Your water
- Source
- Your drinking water comes from a surface water source: purchased water from Minneapolis
- Hardness
- Water hardness averages 80 parts per million, or 4.5 grains per gallon (City of Columbia Heights)
- Service lines
- As of 10/17/2025, the inventory contains 1 lead, 285 galvanized requiring replacement, 367 unknown material, and 6017 non-lead service lines
Other MN cities
What a Apple Valley house paysWhat a Cottage Grove house paysWhat a Edina house paysWhat a Farmington house paysWhat a Lakeville house paysWhat a Little Falls house paysWhat a Maple Grove house paysWhat a Plymouth house paysWhat a Shoreview house paysWhat a Vadnais Heights house paysWhat a Woodbury house paysWhat a Andover house paysWhat a Shakopee house paysWhat a Champlin house paysWhat a Eagan house paysWhat a Otsego house paysWhat a Fairmont house paysWhat a Rochester house paysWhat a Chanhassen house paysWhat a Maplewood house paysWhat a St. Michael house paysWhat a Inver Grove Heights house paysWhat a Forest Lake house paysWhat a Chaska house paysWhat a Burnsville house paysWhat a North Branch house paysWhat a Stillwater house paysWhat a Roseville house paysWhat a Buffalo house paysWhat a Victoria house paysWhat a Oakdale house paysWhat a Rosemount house paysWhat a Blaine house paysWhat a Hermantown house paysWhat a St. Cloud house paysWhat a Dayton house paysWhat a Elk River house paysWhat a New Brighton house paysWhat a Savage house paysWhat a Eden Prairie house paysWhat a Little Canada house paysWhat a North St. Paul house paysWhat a Mankato house paysWhat a Rogers house paysWhat a Anoka house paysWhat a East Bethel house paysWhat a Coon Rapids house paysWhat a Brooklyn Center house paysWhat a Crystal house paysWhat a Hutchinson house paysWhat a Richfield house pays
How these numbers are made
- Property tax: Anoka County 2026 final combined rates for tax area 19 (ISD 13, Mississippi WMO), the area on 4,827 of 5,348 homestead single-family parcels; area 20 (Rice Creek WSD, 521 parcels) differs by about 0.01 point. Tax-capacity rates apply to market value after the homestead exclusion at 1.00%; ISD 13 referendum market-value rate is 0.161475%. Homes over $500,000 pay 1.25% on the excess (not modeled).
- Starting value: $280,300 median 2025 estimated market value of homestead single-unit parcels. The county charges a flat $24.02 solid waste management charge per dwelling; not every parcel carries it.
- Water, sewer, storm water and trash are billed quarterly by the city; shown as monthly (quarterly / 3). Water fixed = $40.09 fixed fee + $6.00 meter surcharge per quarter; the separate $6.00 quarterly water meter financing fee on the schedule is not added. Water tiers: $6.00 per 1,000 gallons up to 25,000 gallons a quarter, $7.51 above. Sewer: $33.26 fixed + $3.61 per 1,000 gallons of water. No typical household use is published, so the page starts at 9 CCF.
- Trash: Walters Recycling and Refuse; quarterly refuse price plus the $34.96 recycling charge (1-3 dwelling units). Bagged yard waste has no extra fee; optional yard waste cart and food organics pail are extra.
- Electricity: Xcel Energy $6.00 basic charge and the 2024 EIA average residential price for Xcel Minnesota; gas: CenterPoint $9.50 basic charge plus delivery, cost of gas and riders per therm. The city franchise fees ($4 a month each on electric and gas, from February 2026) are added as flat fees. Insurance is the Minnesota statewide average, 2022. The electric price is a 2024 statewide average estimate, not the current Xcel tariff (a 2025-26 rate case is pending/settled, so the current schedule may differ). The CenterPoint cost of gas is a point-in-time figure that changes monthly. The insurance figure is the 2022 statewide average; no newer NAIC figure was used.
- Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.
- assets.centerpointenergy.com 2026-mn-rates-rights-tariff-book.pdf?v=0
- columbiaheightsmn.gov utility_billing.php
- enterprise.gisdata.mn.gov query?where=co_name%3D%27Anoka%27+AND+ct
- www.anokacountymn.gov Residential-Charges-Appeals
- www.anokacountymn.gov Property-Tax-Payment-Options
- www.anokacountymn.gov 9b-Values-Schools-and-Special-Districts
- www.anokacountymn.gov 10-Tax-Rates-Schools
- www.anokacountymn.gov Combined-Tax-Rates-by-Unique-Taxing-Area
- www.anokacountymn.gov Faq.aspx?QID=422
- www.arcgis.com metadata.xml?format=default&output=html
- www.columbiaheightsmn.gov 2025%20Water%20Quality%20Report.pdf?t=20
- www.columbiaheightsmn.gov about_our_water.php
- www.columbiaheightsmn.gov refuse.php
- www.columbiaheightsmn.gov franchise_fees.php
- www.columbiaheightsmn.gov rates.php
- www.eia.gov ng_cons_num_dcu_SMN_a.htm
- www.eia.gov ng_cons_sum_dcu_SMN_a.htm
- www.eia.gov table_6.pdf
- www.iii.org facts-statistics-homeowners-and-renters-
- www.revenue.state.mn.us filing-property-tax-refund
- www.revenue.state.mn.us homestead
- www.revenue.state.mn.us property-tax-calendar
- www.revenue.state.mn.us property-tax-deferral-senior-citizens
- www.revenue.state.mn.us module-3-classification-property_0.pdf
- www.xcelenergy.com 24-01-406-MN-Res-ElecRates-MN-Res-E-2002
- www.xcelenergy.com MN-Communities-Served.pdf
- www.xcelenergy.com Me_Section_3.pdf
- www.xcelenergy.com Me_Section_4.pdf
How Columbia Heights compares
A typical Columbia Heights house against the 35 Minnesota cities we cover, using the same default numbers as the total above.
| Per year | Columbia Heights | Median | Where it falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property tax rate | 1.56% | 1.49% | higher than 24 of the other 33 Minnesota cities we cover |
| Water | $669 | $339 | higher than 29 of the other 34 Minnesota cities we cover |
| Sewer and utility-bill fees | $601 | $621 | lower than 21 of the other 34 Minnesota cities we cover |
| Trash | $489 | $326 | higher than 8 of the other 8 Minnesota cities we cover |
| Electricity and gas | $2,034 | $2,150 | lower than 25 of the other 34 Minnesota cities we cover |
| Home insurance | $1,774 | $1,774 | in the middle of 34 other Minnesota cities we cover |
| Total | $9,667 | $9,536 | higher than 18 of the other 34 Minnesota 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. Water
The fact: Water here costs about $669 a year at typical use, higher than 29 of the other 34 Minnesota cities we cover.
Ask: "Water here costs about $669 a year at typical use, higher than 29 of the other 34 Minnesota cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything?"
2. Trash
The fact: Trash pickup here costs about $489 a year for the standard cart, higher than 8 of the other 8 Minnesota 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 $489 a year for the standard cart, higher than 8 of the other 8 Minnesota 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 $2,034 a year, lower than 25 of the other 34 Minnesota cities we cover. Rates are set mostly by the utility and the state.
Ask: "Electricity and gas here cost about $2,034 a year for a typical house, lower than 25 of the other 34 Minnesota cities we cover. Which parts of that can the city influence, and what would you do about them?"
Common questions about Columbia Heights house costs
What is the property tax rate in Columbia Heights?
About 1.56% of the value before exemptions a year (2026 taxes payable, Anoka County (Columbia Heights tax area 19: Columbia Heights schools ISD 13, Mississippi WMO)), plus flat charges on the same bill (Anoka County solid waste management charge (per home) $24).
How much is property tax on a $500,000 house in Columbia Heights?
About $7,807 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions with the homestead market value exclusion, including $24 of flat charges.
How much is the water bill in Columbia Heights?
About $106 a month for water and sewer at typical use (7,000 gallons a month) on City of Columbia Heights.
How much does trash pickup cost in Columbia Heights?
$39 to $48 a month, depending on the trash cart size (30-gallon container, weekly pickup, plus recycling, 60-gallon container, weekly pickup, plus recycling, 90-gallon container, weekly pickup, plus recycling).
When is property tax due in Columbia Heights?
May 15: First half of real property taxes due Aug 15: Minnesota property tax refund due; you may still file up to one year late Oct 15: Second half of real property taxes due
Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Columbia Heights?
Yes. Seniors 65+: defer part of your property tax: With the Senior Citizens Property Tax Deferral, the tax you pay is 3% of household income and the state pays the rest as a loan, repaid with interest when you sell or cancel.
Where can I get help paying utility bills in Columbia Heights?
Seniors 62+: income-qualified water, sewer and garbage rates: Columbia Heights lists income-qualified senior rates for garbage, water and sewer; they require an annual application and income eligibility, with the head or spouse aged 62 or older. Apply every year with the City; the rates page gives the income-qualified rates.
How much does a house in Columbia Heights cost to run each year?
A typical Columbia Heights house pays about $9,700 a year: $4,100 property tax and charges, $1,270 water and sewer, $490 trash, $2,030 electricity and gas, $1,770 home insurance. Estimated from public rates, not anyone's actual bill.