Independence, OR · Updated Oct 2026

What a Independence 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 Independence house

$9,220a year · $768 a month

Starts at $176,787 of value before exemptions. Typical use.

Property tax$3,226
1.825% of $176,787
Electricity and gas$2,816
900 kWh a month $1,798 · 53 therms $1,018
Water and sewer$1,823
9 units (CCF) a month on City of Independence: water $70, sewer $58, stormwater base (single-family home, ¾-inch meter) $2, eru base (single-family home, ¾-inch meter) $12, public safety fee $10 a month
Trash$469
65-gallon cart, weekly, $39 a month
Home insurance$886
Typical premium $886

A typical Independence house costs about $9,200 a year: $3,230 property tax and charges, $1,820 water and sewer, $470 trash, $2,820 electricity and gas, $890 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 35-gallon cart, weekly cartUp to $112 a year
Your cart costs $39 a month; the smallest costs $30. Worth it if you rarely fill it.
How: Brandt's Sanitary: 503-838-0464 (a fee applies to cart size exchanges).
Pay the property tax in full by November 153% off
Paying in full by November 15 takes 3% off; paying two-thirds by November 15 takes 2% off that payment. Paying in three installments gets no discount.
How: Pay Polk County online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the Tax Office or the drop box in the Courthouse parking lot (fees apply for some methods).
Seniors and disabled homeowners: property tax deferral
If you qualify, the Oregon Department of Revenue pays your county property taxes on November 15 each year. A lien is placed on the property and deferral accounts accrue 6 percent interest yearly. The household income limit for 2026 is $70,000.
How: Apply with the Polk County Assessor by April 15, or late from April 16 to December 1 with a fee; call 503-623-8391.
Disabled veterans and surviving spouses: property tax exemption$27,092 or $32,512 off assessed value
Veterans with disabilities of 40 percent or more, and qualifying surviving spouses or partners, may exempt $27,092 or $32,512 of their homestead's assessed value. The amount increases by 3 percent each year.
How: File with the Polk County Assessor between January 1 and April 1; call 503-623-8391.
Low-income households: Pacific Power bill discount
Low-income residential customers may qualify for a discount on their monthly Pacific Power bill (Schedule 7, Low Income Discount).
How: Ask Pacific Power about the Schedule 7 Low Income Discount.
Low-income households: NW Natural bill discount15% to 85% off
In Oregon, NW Natural's bill discount program can save 15% to 85% on monthly gas bills for households with income below 60% of the Oregon state median income. No proof of income is required to apply.
How: Apply online, by email or mail, or over the phone.
Behind on a water/sewer bill: ask about a Utility Service Agreement
Customers can avoid shutoffs by contacting the billing department and asking about a Utility Service Agreement. The City no longer accepts payment arrangements from renter accounts; the property owner must give prior approval.
How: Contact the City of Independence billing department and ask about a Utility Service Agreement.

Adjust to match your bills

What you knowTrash cartBrandt's Sanitary's posted city rates plus its $1.90 recycling surcharge; the Independence City Council approved a 3.5% increase effective May 1, 2026, so your bill may be a little higher. Check your Brandt's bill.

Value before exemptionsOregon taxes assessed value, which is usually well below what the house would sell for. Your tax statement shows your assessed value.

Home insurance, a yearFrom your policy. We start at $886, Oregon statewide average for 2023, NAIC data in the Oregon Insurance Commissioner's January 2025 legislative briefing.

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 house uses 7–12.

Electricity, kWh a month

On your Pacific Power bill. An electric car adds about 300 kWh.

Gas, therms a month (yearly average)

Money dates

Nov 15in 22 daysLast day for the property tax discount: pay in full for 3% off, or pay 2/3 for 2% off that payment
Dec 31in 68 daysLast day to file a Property Value Appeals Board (PVAB) appeal of your property value (next business day if December 31 falls on a weekend or holiday)
Apr 1Last day to file for property tax exemptions, including the disabled veteran / surviving spouse exemption
Apr 15Senior and disabled property tax deferral applications due to the county assessor (late filing April 16 to December 1 with a fee)

Who serves this house

Water: City of Independence; City of Independence monthly water charges effective July 1, 2025, for a single-family home using a ¾″ meter: $36.70 water base, then $3.70 per unit for up to 14 units, $4.29 for 15 to 30 units and $4.63 over 30 units (1 unit = 750 gallons)
Property tax: 1.83% of value; 2025-26 tax year, Polk County code area 1303 (City of Independence, Central SD 13J)
Garbage: Brandt's Sanitary; Exclusive franchise for solid waste collection and recycling inside the city limits
Sewer: City of Independence; Sewer base charge on the monthly City utility bill
Electricity: Pacific Power; Residential Schedule 4
Gas: NW Natural; Rate Schedule 2, residential
Schools: Central School District 13J; Central SD 13J and Central SD 13J bonds appear in Polk County's 2025-26 rate tables

Pay or manage your bills

Your water

Source: The system sources its water from two separate wellfields, each with ten groundwater wells
Lead and copper: July 7 - August 5, 2026 sampling (65 samples): 90th percentile lead 0.0022 mg/L and copper 1.500 mg/L; action levels are lead 0.015 mg/L and copper 1.3 mg/L
Violations: The Oregon violation history shows no results for this water system in the last 5 years

How these numbers are made

Property tax: the 2025-26 Polk County billing rates for code area 1303 (City of Independence, Central SD 13J), $18.2506 per $1,000 of assessed value, because the 2026-27 tables were not yet posted; Oregon has no homestead exemption. Small district rates printed in scientific notation (for example 4.95E-4) are converted with plain division. Other Independence code areas total $18.0777 to $18.1846 (1321, 1329, 1330; Fir Crest CD instead of Hilltop CD in some) and code areas 1344-1346 are urban renewal areas; 1303 has the most assessed value, but your own statement controls.
The starting assessed value ($176,787) is our estimate: Independence's Census median home value ($378,800) times code area 1303's real property assessed value divided by its Measure 5 value on the 2025-26 roll ($357,963,484 / $767,005,729, about 0.47), because the county publishes no median assessed value for Independence homes. Your own assessed value is on your tax statement.
Water and sewer: the City of Independence rates the city page lists as effective July 1, 2025, for a ¾″ meter ($36.70 water base, then $3.70 per unit up to 14 units, $4.29 for 15-30, $4.63 over 30; 1 unit = 750 gallons, treated as 1 ccf) and the $57.98 sewer base. The City says the base charges include its Public Safety Fee, but the table's $17.00 fee line shows the pre-July 2026 amount; we count the 2026-27 fees separately below and cannot confirm whether other water or sewer rates changed July 1, 2026. The City posts no typical household use (its example uses 5 units), so the page starts at 9 units a month.
City utility bill lines: stormwater base $1.67 and 'ERU base' $12.27 (the City does not define ERU on the page), the Public Safety Fee at $10.00 a month from July 1, 2026, and the new Community Services Fee ($11.50) and Parks Fee ($8.15) a month adopted June 23, 2026. The City's page says the Community Services and Parks fees are subject to a referendum following a petition effort and that the referendum is on the November 2026 ballot, so these two fees ($19.65 a month, about $236 a year) may not take effect; the page gives no start date for them. They are counted in the typical total; without them it is about $236 a year lower.
Garbage: Brandt's Sanitary has the exclusive franchise. We use its posted weekly 'City Rates' (35, 65 and 95 gallon carts) plus its $1.90 recycling surcharge for city customers; the page does not say it is Independence-specific, and the Council approved a 3.5% increase effective May 1, 2026, so the real bill may be about 3.5% higher. A $0.25 household hazardous waste fee also appears on the page.
Electricity: Pacific Power Schedule 4 prices in effect April 1, 2026 (year-round), with the 1.5% public purpose charge, system benefits and Energy Trust charges and the BPA credit folded into the per-kWh price; 900 kWh a month is Pacific Power's Oregon residential average. The City also lists Monmouth Power & Light as an electricity provider; we assume Pacific Power serves most Independence homes. Gas: NW Natural Rate Schedule 2 effective October 31, 2025, at 53 therms a month. Insurance: the 2023 Oregon statewide average homeowners premium.
Not included: any City of Independence franchise fees on Pacific Power or NW Natural bills (we could not find Independence's percentages), and water/sewer system development or one-time fees."] Polk code area 1303 roll (2025-26): real property $357,963,484 assessed; total real property $767,005,729 (modelling context, not judged). Not shown as current fees: a $11.50/mo community services fee and an $8.15/mo parks fee (adopted June 2026) would be assessed through City utility accounts but are subject to the Nov 2026 referendum.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

How Independence compares

A typical Independence house against the 28 Oregon cities we cover, using the same default numbers as the total above.

Per year	Independence	Median	Where it falls
Property tax rate	1.83%	1.90%	lower than 17 of the other 27 Oregon cities we cover
Water	$840	$609	higher than 24 of the other 27 Oregon cities we cover
Sewer and utility-bill fees	$983	$1,050	lower than 18 of the other 27 Oregon cities we cover
Trash	$469	$454	higher than 13 of the other 22 Oregon cities we cover
Electricity and gas	$2,816	$2,868	lower than 17 of the other 27 Oregon cities we cover
Home insurance	$886	$886	in the middle of 27 other Oregon cities we cover
Total	$9,220	$10,340	lower than 20 of the other 27 Oregon 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 $840 a year at typical use, higher than 24 of the other 27 Oregon cities we cover.

Ask: "Water here costs about $840 a year at typical use, higher than 24 of the other 27 Oregon cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything?"

See who is running in your city →

Common questions about Independence house costs

What is the property tax rate in Independence?

About 1.83% of the value before exemptions a year (2025-26 tax year, Polk County code area 1303 (City of Independence, Central SD 13J)), plus flat charges on the same bill.

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

About $9,125 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions.

How much is the water bill in Independence?

About $152 a month for water and sewer at typical use (9 units, or 6,732 gallons a month) on City of Independence.

How much does trash pickup cost in Independence?

$30 to $49 a month, depending on the trash cart size (35-gallon cart, weekly, 65-gallon cart, weekly, 95-gallon cart, weekly).

When is property tax due in Independence?

Apr 15: Senior and disabled property tax deferral applications due to the county assessor (late filing April 16 to December 1 with a fee) May 15: Third trimester property tax payment due

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Independence?

Yes. Seniors and disabled homeowners: property tax deferral: If you qualify, the Oregon Department of Revenue pays your county property taxes on November 15 each year. A lien is placed on the property and deferral accounts accrue 6 percent interest yearly. The household income limit for 2026 is $70,000.

Where can I get help paying utility bills in Independence?

Low-income households: Pacific Power bill discount: Low-income residential customers may qualify for a discount on their monthly Pacific Power bill (Schedule 7, Low Income Discount). Ask Pacific Power about the Schedule 7 Low Income Discount.

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

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