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Property Value

Overview

Property value is the dollar-value placed on land and buildings for the purposes of administering property taxes.

The two commonly-used methods of valuing property in Wisconsin are "assessed" and "equalized." Assessed valuation is property value as determined by the local municipal assessor on January 1 in any given year. Equalized valuation results when the Department of Revenue (DOR) applies an adjustment factor to the assessed value. The adjustment factor incorporates, among other elements, actual property sales in the municipality during the past year and is meant to ensure each type of property has comparable value regardless of local assessment practices.

Fair Market Value

Most state computations use equalized value, otherwise known as "fair market" value. Fair market value can be further defined as the value that would be agreed upon between a willing buyer and a willing seller in an "arm's length" transaction where neither is required to act.

New-Year Information

The first-time school districts receive the new year information in an official value certification is in October. The October 1 Tax Apportionment Value Certification is used to apportion levies and determine municipal tax bills. After October 1, DOR may refine this same set of numbers until a "final" version is issued the following May (almost 1 1/2 years after the original assessment). This final version is known as the School Aid Value Certification and will be used in the FOLLOWING year's Equalization Aid formula. So, as an example, property value as of January 1, 2011 will eventually be used in the 2012-13 Equalization Aid computation.

It is important that districts understand which values are used for what computations.

Resources
 

Fiscal School Years

2024-25 School Fiscal Year
 

2023-24 School Fiscal Year

2022-23 School Fiscal Year
 

2021-22 School Fiscal Year
 

2020-21 School Fiscal Year
 

2019-20 School Fiscal Year
 

2018-19 School Fiscal Year
 

2017-18 School Fiscal Year
 

2016-17 School Fiscal Year
 

2015-16 School Fiscal Year
 

2014-15 School Fiscal Year
 

2013-14 School Fiscal Year