Sticker Shock: Property Values Skyrocket in New Appraisal Data
Vol. III, No. 93 - A small sample shows an increase of 32% in property values
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The County Auditor’s 2025 Sexennial Reappraisal of Real Property has brought some eye-opening news for property owners: property values are climbing at a rapid pace. This official re-evaluation of property worth, mandated by Ohio state law every six years, reveals significant changes that will affect your tax bills starting in 2026. Official notices will be hitting mailboxes soon.
The new values are on the Miami County Auditor’s website which can be accessed here. This publication took to create a small catalog of 27 single family parcels around the county and analyze the change in property values. The analysis showed that 26 of the 27 parcels rose in taxable value, and most by double digit increases; the overall portfolio of properties experienced a striking 32.3% average increase, with total assessed values for these properties rocketing from $3.86 million in 2022 to $5.10 million in 2025 – an impressive increase of $1.25 million. The median increase in the sample was 32.5%, meaning half of all properties in the sample saw their values rise even higher than that.
The increases are widespread, with many properties seeing substantial jumps. Nearly 15% of the sample (4 properties) had increases over 50%, while almost 30% (8 properties) experienced increases between 40-50%. Another 14.8% (4 properties) saw values go up by 30-40%. Even the more moderate increases were still significant, with about 26% (7 properties) rising 20-30%, and only a small fraction (11.1%, 3 properties) seeing increases under 20%. Interestingly, only one property in the entire sample experienced a slight decrease.
These changes aren't uniform across the county, with some areas seeing much larger increases than others. Pleasant Hill led the way with a staggering 63.9% average increase for its single sampled property, followed by Bradford at 58.3% and Fletcher at 53.5%. Piqua experienced a strong 45.3% average increase across its five sampled properties, with one home on Washington Ave. jumping from $79,000 to $115,400. West Milton also saw values rise by an average of 35.1%, over the three properties surveyed. More moderate increases were observed in places like Troy, with a 33.9% average (one home on Surrey Road went from $230,000 to $325,800 - a 42% increase), and Covington, averaging 32.7%. On the more conservative side, Tipp City showed the lowest average increases at 15.8%, with one property on South Third Street even seeing a slight decrease of 0.5%.
These soaring values align with what's happening in the broader real estate market. Miami County's reappraisal mirrors trends across Ohio, where other counties undergoing reappraisals in 2025 are also experiencing significant value boosts. The median home price in Miami County was $250,000 in July 2025, and the wider Miami Valley region showed strong growth with median sale prices of $270,000, up almost 9% from the previous year. This strong buyer demand has pushed average home prices up across Ohio.
So, what does this all mean for your wallet? The new property values took effect for the tax lien date of January 1, 2025, and will be reflected in your 2026 tax bills. While higher property values might make you think your tax bill will jump dramatically, Ohio has a special law, House Bill 920, designed to help soften the blow. This law states that when property values increase during reappraisal years, tax rates often decline to partially offset the value increases, though overall tax burdens typically still rise. This means your tax bill will likely go up, but perhaps not by the full percentage of your property's value increase. Full tax bills for 2026 will be prepared in December.
If you're a property owner who received a reappraisal notice and you believe your new valuation is incorrect, you have options to challenge it. You can start with an informal discussion with county appraisers, though the exact timing for this can vary.
For a more official challenge, formal complaints must be filed with the Board of Revision by March 31, 2026. When filing a formal appeal, it's important to provide strong evidence, such as recent independent appraisals, repair estimates, or purchase agreements, to support your claim.
These increasing property values are coming at a time where residents are frustrated with increased property tax bills; there are multiple bills being discussed by the General Assembly to reform the state’s property tax changes, by both piecemeal measures and system-wide reforms. The Governor has convended another working group to look at the issue. Even residents have come together to get a statewide referendum for the 2026 ballot to ban property taxes.
The double-digit rise in poperty evaluations will no doubt put those efforts in deeper focus here in Miami County.
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