The annual property tax shown on an Edmonds home's sale history or old listing record describes a bill that no longer exists in the same form. In 2026 the way Edmonds pays for fire and emergency medical service changed. The tax on the typical Edmonds residence went from $6,529.73 in 2025 to $7,750.18 in 2026, according to the Snohomish County Assessor's January 30, 2026 property tax release. That is an 18.7% increase, the largest of any city in the Assessor's table.
The increase came in the same tax year Edmonds voters declined a property tax increase. Both are true, and the explanation shapes how a buyer should estimate carrying costs here for 2027 and later.
A "No" Vote in November, a "Yes" Vote in April
On November 4, 2025, Edmonds put Proposition 1 on the ballot, a permanent multi-year levy lid lift worth $14.5 million. If it had passed, the city's regular property tax rate would have gone from $0.72 to as much as $1.65 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2026. Under the certified results, it failed, with 7,507 votes in favor (41.20%) and 10,713 against (58.80%).
The city's regular rate stayed at $0.72. The bill went up because of a different vote, held seven months earlier. In the April 22, 2025 special election, Edmonds voters approved annexation into South County Fire, the regional fire authority. The city reports 62.4% voted yes.
Before annexation, Edmonds paid for fire service under a contract funded from city property taxes. The city's $1.00 per $1,000 levy was made up of a $0.72 regular levy and $0.28 for EMS. After annexation, the city kept the $0.72 regular rate, and the EMS portion moved to the fire authority. South County Fire then started collecting its own combined fire and EMS levy, which the city's comparison put at $1.16 per $1,000, plus a separate benefit charge. As My Edmonds News explained in September 2025, South County Fire would collect those charges directly starting in 2026, and the first of those tax statements went out in February 2026.
So the 2026 bill was the first one built under the new structure. Every Edmonds tax figure from 2025 or earlier reflects the old one.
Where Edmonds Now Sits Among Its Neighbors
Edmonds was the only city in that comparison whose rate rose by about $0.80. Across the county, the typical levy rate went down in 2026, from $8.2776 to $8.1949 per $1,000, because higher assessed values spread levies over a larger base. The Assessor's figures for the typical residence in several nearby cities show how that played out:
| City | 2025 levy rate per $1,000 | 2026 levy rate per $1,000 | 2026 typical tax | Value change | Tax change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonds | 7.0318 | 7.8348 | $7,750.18 | 6.5% | 18.7% |
| Lynnwood | 7.8585 | 7.9139 | $5,352.17 | 7.0% | 7.7% |
| Mountlake Terrace | 7.9585 | 7.9075 | $4,984.10 | 6.6% | 5.9% |
| Mukilteo | 7.5148 | 7.4912 | $6,652.93 | 6.2% | 5.9% |
| Mill Creek | 8.8163 | 8.7345 | $8,335.33 | 7.9% | 6.9% |
| Bothell | 8.0911 | 8.0664 | $7,632.43 | 9.5% | 9.2% |
In 2025, Edmonds had one of the lowest rates in this group. In 2026, its rate was close to Lynnwood's and Mountlake Terrace's. A buyer who compared cities using 2025 bills would have seen Edmonds as having a rate advantage that has mostly closed.
The Assessor labels these "predominant" rates, and the tax change covers every taxing district on the bill, including state levies, which the Assessor says rose about 2% countywide. So annexation does not account for the whole $1,220.45 increase. Before the vote, the city estimated that a 2,500-square-foot home assessed at $895,700 would pay $436.98 more per year for fire and EMS. The rest came from rising values and the other levies that apply countywide. The fire change is the one part that applies only to Edmonds, and it is what moved Edmonds from the bottom of this table to the middle.
Lower Assessments Don't Mean a Lower Bill
There is a second reason old bills can mislead. The City of Edmonds' proposed 2027–2028 budget says the Assessor reported a 2.28% decrease in assessed values for the Edmonds market area in the 2026 assessment cycle, based on 2025 sales. That cycle sets the values used for 2027 taxes. The same budget explains that under Washington law, a taxing district's regular levy can generally grow by no more than 1% a year, plus new construction and a few other additions. The city's revenue forecast assumes a 1% increase over the prior year's budgeted amount.
Taxing districts like these budget for a dollar amount, not for a share of your home's value. When assessments fall, the levy is spread over a smaller total value, so the rate per $1,000 goes up. South County Fire's own 2027 projection shows this. Its sample home's assessed value stays flat, "based on preliminary data from County," yet its property tax still rises from $925 to $965.
The Part of the Bill That Depends on Square Footage
The new structure has a piece that assessed value does not drive at all. According to South County Fire, the fire benefit charge is based on a building's size, use and hazards, not on its assessed value. That matters in a city with a wide mix of housing types. Two Edmonds homes at the same price can owe different benefit charges if one is much larger than the other.
South County Fire's 2027 preliminary budget raises total benefit charge revenue by 70.1%, from $14,684,280 to $24,977,966. The same document assumes a 2027 fire levy rate of $0.87 per $1,000 and an EMS rate of $0.33. It says combined property tax revenue rises 4.4%, attributed to the 1% annual increase, new construction and $2.2 million in banked capacity. For its sample property, a 2,000-square-foot home assessed at $800,000, the estimated benefit charge goes from $104 to $178. Combined fire charges go from $1,030 to $1,143, an increase of $114. The fire authority labels this a preliminary budget, not an adopted one.
The sample assumes 2,000 square feet. The city's annexation comparison assumed 2,500. For a larger house, the square-footage-based part of the bill is the line most likely to differ from those examples.
What Is Still Undecided for 2027
Three pending items could change what an Edmonds owner pays next year. None had been decided as of October 12, 2026.
- South County Fire Proposition 1, November 3, 2026. This is a $420 million construction bond for station replacements, seismic work and new facilities. My Edmonds News reported an estimated rate of $0.194 per $1,000 starting in 2027, or about $191.90 a year on the $989,200 Edmonds average home. It needs a 60% supermajority and a minimum turnout to pass.
- South County Fire's 2027 budget. The benefit charge and levy figures above are preliminary.
- Edmonds utility rates. A consultant's study proposes water increases of 9.75% in each of 2027, 2028 and 2029. Sewer would rise 7.5%, then 7%, then 7%, and stormwater 6.5%, then 6.5%, then 5%. The October 6 council item required no action, and staff are to bring an ordinance to a future meeting. My Edmonds News reported that the discussion continues October 13.
Utility rates are not property taxes, but they are part of the monthly cost of owning a home here, and any increases would take effect in the same year as any fire changes.
Questions Buyers Ask About Edmonds Tax Figures
Does the 2026 tax figure on a home's record include the fire benefit charge? The city said South County Fire would collect both its levy and the benefit charge directly starting in 2026. Ask how the figure you are shown was compiled, and check the parcel's statement with the Snohomish County Treasurer.
Does the senior and disability exemption still apply? For 2026, the Assessor lists a disposable income threshold of $75,000 for the Senior Citizens/People with Disabilities Exemption program. My Edmonds News reports that people who already qualify would keep their exemptions if the fire bond passes.
Which assessment year drives which bill? Values set as of January 1, 2025 determined taxes owed in 2026. The 2026 cycle's 2.28% decline in the Edmonds market area applies to 2027 bills.
If you are comparing Edmonds with nearby cities, or pricing a home whose tax history dates from before 2026, Haines Huff Properties can go through the current figures for a specific address with you, including the fire charges and any pending 2027 changes. For sellers, that starts with a home valuation that reflects today's carrying costs. Request your free home valuation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
