Home › Guides › Maryland cities › Howard County
Maryland · Howard CountyHoward County, MD property taxes. A flat year. Look closely.
The typical home in Howard County was worth about $629,000 in January 2026, 0.1% less than a year earlier. A notice that went up anyway deserves a second look.
Check my Howard County home for free →
What Howard County home values did
Howard County values fell 0.1% in the year to January 2026, and sat 0.6% under the April 2025 high. That's weaker than Maryland as a whole (+1.0%).
Values have been roughly flat since January, through August 2026.
| Month | Typical value | vs. a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| January 2021 | $506,000 | +6.0% |
| January 2022 | $554,000 | +9.4% |
| January 2023 | $580,000 | +4.8% |
| January 2024 | $604,000 | +4.2% |
| January 2025 | $630,000 | +4.2% |
| January 2026 | $629,000 | -0.1% |
| August 2026 (latest) | $633,000 | +0.5% since January |
Peak since 2021: $633,000 in April 2025. January 2026 was 0.6% below it.
Howard County places by change from peak
Every Howard County place with enough data, ranked by the gap between January 2026 and its post-2021 high. Each links to its own guide.
| Place | January 2026 | 1-year change | vs. peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkridge | $484,000 | -0.8% | -1.3% |
| Glenelg | $967,000 | +0.3% | -1.0% |
| Cooksville | $924,000 | -0.1% | -1.0% |
| Jessup | $509,000 | -0.4% | -0.9% |
| Ellicott City | $730,000 | -0.1% | -0.8% |
| Columbia | $506,000 | -0.2% | -0.6% |
| Highland | $994,000 | +0.3% | -0.4% |
| Clarksville | $1,033,000 | +1.8% | At peak |
| Woodbine | $806,000 | +1.4% | At peak |
| Marriottsville | $704,000 | +1.2% | At peak |
| Fulton | $971,000 | +1.3% | At peak |
| Savage | $583,000 | +0.7% | At peak |
| Dayton | $1,074,000 | +1.8% | At peak |
| West Friendship | $1,018,000 | +1.6% | At peak |
| Glenwood | $1,031,000 | +1.1% | At peak |
What to check on your notice
If your 2026 notice shows a higher value than last year, ask why. The typical Howard County home lost 0.1% over the same stretch. A higher number can still be right for a specific home, for example after a remodel, but the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) office should be able to explain it.
Keep the state's limits in mind: The Homestead Tax Credit limits yearly increases in your taxable assessment. Every county and municipality must cap increases at 10 percent or less, and many set a lower cap. You must file a one-time application to get it.
How a Maryland appeal works
Values in Howard County are set by the local State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) office, and the appeal starts there. The rules below apply statewide; your notice has the exact dates and office for your property.
| Who sets the value | State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) office. The state, through SDAT, values every property. SDAT has a local assessment office for each county and Baltimore City. Counties then set the tax rates. |
|---|---|
| Valuation date | January 1 of the reassessment year (January 1, 2027 for Group 3) |
| Your notice | Notice of Assessment |
| Deadline | Appeal within 45 days of the date on your Notice of Assessment. The 45 day count starts the day after the notice date, and appeals postmarked by day 45 count. In the two years between regular reassessments you can file a petition for review instead, due by the first working day after January 1. If you buy a home, you can also appeal within 60 days of the transfer. |
| First step | Informal hearing with your local SDAT assessment office (the supervisor's level), usually about 15 minutes. It can be by written appeal, phone, video or in person. |
| If you still disagree | Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board (PTAAB), within 30 days of the final notice from the first level. Then the Maryland Tax Court, within 30 days of the PTAAB order. |
| Form | Online appeal form at the SDAT assessment appeals portal |
| Fee | No fee at any level of appeal. |
| Can the value go up? | After an appeal hearing, a residential assessment will not be raised during that 3 year cycle because of information from the hearing. |
Reading this in fall 2026? Maryland reassesses one third of properties each year. Group 2 was reassessed for 2026 and notices went out December 30, 2025, so that window has closed. Group 3 is reassessed effective January 1, 2027, with notices expected around the end of 2026, and then you have 45 days from your notice date. Group 1 follows in 2028. Check your account on the SDAT property search to see your group and notice date.
- The Tax Court hears your case fresh, so nothing from earlier levels is considered.
- Values both rise and fall with the market at each reassessment.
- The homestead cap limits taxes on your increase, but it does not change the market value, so you still appeal the value itself.
Find your local office in the SDAT real property home page and local offices.
Building a Howard County case
A citywide index shows the trend. Your case needs your house. Howard County is part of the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metro, but your evidence should be local. Sales a few streets away usually beat sales across the metro.
- Ask SDAT for the free sales analysis for your area and compare it with your value.
- Bring recent sales of similar homes and any photos or repair estimates showing condition problems.
- Ask for a reinspection if your property details look wrong.
Get your Howard County appeal report
Start with your address. Vulorean checks your assessment against recent comparable sales and builds a value report you can bring to your Maryland appeal. Eligible reports are free during launch; an account is required and local filing fees are separate.
Check my property and get a report →Vulorean was built for California first. Maryland forms, deadlines and filing rules vary, so confirm them with your local office before filing. If something in your report looks wrong, email support@vulorean.com and we'll get it fixed.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, mid-tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through August 2026, from Zillow Research. Rules: SDAT Assessment Appeal Process, SDAT Property Owner's Bill of Rights, SDAT Homestead Tax Credit Program, SDAT 2026 reassessment press release, Dec 30, 2025. Vulorean is an independent service, not a government office. Confirm dates and forms with your local office.