Cost to Own
United States › Illinois › Exemptions Programs 2 Avg effective rate 1.831%
Money that stays yours only if you claim it Most of these take a single filing with the county assessor. Homeowners who never file simply pay the full bill, every year, forever.

Statewide relief programs

Property Tax Exemptions in Illinois

These are the major statewide programs. Counties and cities often layer their own on top, and dollar amounts change with legislation, so each entry tells you what the program is and who it is for, and the official Illinois source carries the current numbers.

What you may be able to claim

General Homestead Exemption Who: Owner-occupied primary residences. Reduces equalized assessed value; larger in Cook County.
Senior Homestead + Senior Freeze Who: 65+; the freeze adds an income limit. Additional reduction plus, for qualifying seniors, a freeze on the equalized assessed value.

Current amounts, income limits and forms: official Illinois property tax site. Filing itself happens at your county assessor's office.

Common questions

What property tax exemptions does Illinois offer?

Illinois offers 2 major statewide relief programs: General Homestead Exemption; Senior Homestead + Senior Freeze. Details and current amounts are on the official state site, and claims go through your county assessor.

Do property tax exemptions renew automatically?

Some do, many do not. Homestead-type filings usually persist once made, while income-tested programs typically require an annual application. The safe habit is one call to the county assessor each year.

How much can an exemption save?

It depends on the program, your home's value and the current statutory amounts, which change. On this site's data, the average Illinois homeowner pays an effective 1.831% of home value in property tax each year, any exemption comes off that bill.

Keep going

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