Taxes in Clearwater
Florida has no state personal income tax, which is Clearwater's biggest single tax advantage relative to most other states -- but Pinellas County property taxes are a real, meaningful cost for homeowners, with the countywide millage running around 19.39 mills in 2025 and considerable variation by specific ZIP code within Clearwater itself.
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Learn moreNo State Income Tax
Florida levies no state personal income tax on wages, retirement income, or investment income, which applies statewide including Clearwater. This is a structural, permanent advantage relative to most other states and is a major driver of Florida's broader appeal to retirees and remote workers alike -- it does not, however, offset property taxes or insurance costs, which are Clearwater-specific and covered below and on the insurance-hazard-costs page.
2025-2026 Millage Rates
Pinellas County's 2025 total millage ran about 19.39 mills, of which roughly 6.29 mills funded schools; the 2025 countywide aggregate average non-school millage was 12.2011 mills. For FY2026, the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners cut the county general-fund property-tax rate to 4.5423 mills -- described by the county as its lowest level since 1990. 2026 rates that will apply to bills mailed in November 2026 won't be finalized until required September 2026 hearings, after cities and the county receive certified property values from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser; actual rates also vary by municipality, fire district, and other overlapping taxing districts.
What a Typical Clearwater Bill Looks Like
Ownwell's Clearwater property-tax data cites a median effective tax rate of 0.92% and a median annual tax bill of $2,337 -- about $63 below the national median property-tax bill of $2,400. But that median obscures wide ZIP-level variation: effective rates run as low as 0.82% in ZIP 33761 and as high as 1.54% in ZIP 33767, with dollar bills ranging from roughly $445 to $3,133 depending on ZIP, driven mainly by differences in school-district levies and local assessment districts rather than the countywide millage alone.
Homestead Exemption and Save Our Homes
Owner-occupants get real relief unavailable to investors or second-home buyers: the 2026 homestead exemption can reduce taxable assessed value by up to $51,411, and the Save Our Homes cap limits annual assessed-value growth to the lesser of 3% or CPI (2.7% for 2026) for as long as the homestead is maintained. This is also why a long-tenured homesteaded owner's tax bill can differ substantially from what a new buyer of the same home would pay in year one, since a new purchase resets the assessed value to market value before the cap starts working in the buyer's favor.
Key takeaways
- No state income tax applies statewide in Florida, including Clearwater -- a permanent structural advantage that does not offset property-tax or insurance costs.
- Pinellas County's 2025 total millage ran about 19.39 mills; the county general-fund rate was cut to 4.5423 mills for FY2026, its lowest since 1990; final 2026 rates aren't set until September 2026 hearings.
- Clearwater's median effective property-tax rate is about 0.92% with a median annual bill of $2,337 (Ownwell) -- but rates and bills vary widely by ZIP, from roughly $445 to $3,133.
- The 2026 homestead exemption (up to $51,411 off taxable value) and the 2.7% Save Our Homes assessment cap apply only to owner-occupied primary residences, not investment or second-home purchases.
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