The short answer
A Connecticut mill rate is the tax per $1,000 of assessed value. Assessed value is 70% of what the town said your home was worth at its last revaluation. So the formula is:
Tax = assessed value × mill rate ÷ 1,000
For the current fiscal year, FY2027 (bills that went out in July 2026, based on the October 1, 2025 grand list), mill rates run from 9.80 in Salisbury to 69.95 in Hartford. The rates below come from the state Office of Policy and Management (OPM), which collects them from all 169 towns.
Mill rates in Connecticut's major towns
These are the real estate mill rates. Several towns also have a separate fire or tax district rate on top, noted where it applies.
| Town | FY2027 (GL 2025) | FY2026 (GL 2024) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford | 69.95 | 68.95 | Highest in the state |
| Hamden | 53.67 | 51.88 | |
| East Hartford | 47.24 | 45.90 | |
| West Hartford | 46.77 | 44.78 | |
| Waterbury | 43.34 | 44.98 | |
| Manchester | 41.00 | 39.82 | |
| New Haven | 39.962 | 39.40 | |
| New Britain | 39.18 | 39.18 | |
| Stratford | 37.73 | 40.20 | |
| Bristol | 35.30 | 33.75 | |
| Norwich | 34.15 | 34.51 | Plus City district (5.96 in FY2026) |
| Middletown | 33.30 | 31.70 | Plus fire district |
| Enfield | 33.11 | 31.50 | Plus fire district |
| Meriden | 29.99 | 37.91 | Revaluation |
| Milford | 28.67 | 29.55 | |
| Bridgeport | 27.95 | 43.45 | Revaluation |
| West Haven | 25.58 | 25.58 | Plus fire district (7.29–8.95) |
| Danbury | 25.23 | 24.99 | |
| Stamford | 24.31–25.14 | 23.27–23.92 | Varies by district |
| Norwalk | 22.98–24.67 | 22.39–23.95 | Varies by district |
| Wallingford | 24.57 | 24.12 | |
| Southington | 23.29 | 33.21 | Revaluation |
| Fairfield | 19.19 | 28.39 | Revaluation |
| New Canaan | 16.967 | 16.691 | |
| Darien | 16.05 | 15.48 | |
| Shelton | 15.51 | 18.82 | |
| Westport | 13.20 | 18.86 | Revaluation |
| Greenwich | 10.125 | 12.041 |
Why Bridgeport's rate fell by a third
Bridgeport's mill rate dropped from 43.45 to 27.95 in one year. Fairfield went from 28.39 to 19.19, Westport from 18.86 to 13.20, Southington from 33.21 to 23.29. None of those towns suddenly cut taxes by a third. They revalued.
Connecticut towns have to revalue at least every five years. Home prices have climbed a lot since the last round, so when a town revalues, assessments jump. The town needs roughly the same total levy, so the mill rate drops to match. Your individual bill goes up or down depending on whether your home's value rose more or less than the town average, not on the headline rate.
The flip side: in a town that hasn't revalued recently, your assessment is based on an old, lower value. OPM's sales data show actual assessment levels for homes well under the legal 70% in most towns, around 36% to 39% of current sale prices in Hartford, Bridgeport and Waterbury, and about 47% in Greenwich. That's why mill rates alone exaggerate the gap between towns.
What a $400,000 house would pay
Here's the textbook calculation for a home with a fresh assessment: $400,000 × 70% = $280,000 assessed value, times the FY2027 mill rate.
| Town | FY2027 mill rate | Tax on $280,000 assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford | 69.95 | $19,586 |
| Hamden | 53.67 | $15,028 |
| New Haven | 39.962 | $11,189 |
| Bridgeport | 27.95 | $7,826 |
| Danbury | 25.23 | $7,064 |
| Westport | 13.20 | $3,696 |
| Greenwich | 10.125 | $2,835 |
Treat these as an upper bound. A home in a town that hasn't revalued in a few years is probably assessed below 70% of what it would sell for today, so the real bill is lower. When you're buying, ask for the current assessment and last year's actual bill. Our guide to estimating taxes before you buy walks through it.
The fairer comparison: equalized mill rates
OPM also publishes an equalized mill rate, which divides each town's levy by the full market value of all its property. It's the closest thing Connecticut has to an apples-to-apples rate. The latest official figures are for FY2023:
| Highest | Equalized rate | Lowest | Equalized rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford | 44.97 | Salisbury | 6.31 |
| Hamden | 28.20 | Washington | 7.20 |
| East Hartford | 28.00 | Warren | 7.40 |
| Waterbury | 25.09 | Sharon | 7.47 |
For the big cities in FY2023: Bridgeport 21.69, New Haven 21.63, West Hartford 23.20, Stamford 15.29, Norwalk 14.06, Danbury 14.93 and Greenwich 7.91. Even on this basis Hartford stands out. It taxes property at roughly six times Greenwich's rate, partly because so much of the city's land belongs to the state, hospitals and universities and pays no property tax.
Highest and lowest mill rates
- Highest, FY2027: Hartford 69.95, Hamden 53.67, East Hartford 47.24, West Hartford 46.77, Waterbury 43.34. In FY2026, Derby (43.20) and Wethersfield (41.22) were also in the top eight.
- Lowest, FY2027: Salisbury 9.80, Greenwich 10.125, Washington 10.85, Sharon 11.15. The small Litchfield County towns have the lowest rates, thanks to high-value second homes and small budgets.
The car tax cap
Connecticut also taxes cars, and the mill rate on motor vehicles is capped at 32.46 mills. That cap is still in place for FY2027. In Hartford, Hamden, Waterbury and other high-rate towns, your car is taxed at 32.46 while your house pays the full rate. Car tax is due in full on July 1, with supplemental bills for cars registered after October 1 due January 1.
Relief, appeals and due dates
- Elderly/Disabled Circuit Breaker. If you're 65 or older (or totally disabled) and own and live in your home, you can get a credit of up to $1,250 for married couples or $1,000 for single people. For the 2026 filing season the income limits were $46,300 unmarried and $56,500 married, counting all income including Social Security. You apply to your town assessor between February 1 and May 15 and re-qualify every two years. Many towns add their own senior programs on top, so ask the assessor. See our senior exemption guide for how this compares nationally.
- Board of Assessment Appeals. File a written appeal by February 20 (March 20 if your assessor got a grand list extension). The next deadline is February 20, 2027. Our appeal guide covers the evidence that works.
- Due dates. Real estate is billed July 1. Most towns split it into two installments due July 1 and January 1, with a one-month grace period (pay by August 1 and February 1). Late payments cost 1.5% a month back to the original due date.
Where these numbers come from
Mill rates for FY2026 and FY2027 are from OPM's Mill Rates for FY 2014–2027 dataset. Stamford's FY2026 rates were cross-checked against the city's Board of Finance resolution. Equalized mill rates are from OPM's Municipal Fiscal Indicators (FY2023, the latest published), and residential sales ratios from OPM's equalized grand list data. Circuit Breaker limits are from OPM's 2026 homeowners program booklet. For ZIP-level data on any town, start at our Connecticut page.