Homeowners in Carthage paid a 2.1% property tax rate based on their home values during the first quarter of 2026, which is more than 2.3 times above the national average, data from BlockShopper.com shows.
Median sales prices for Carthage homes during the same time were $105,000, with a total of 10 properties sold. The median city tax bill for 2026 was $2,182, making up 2.1% of the assessed median property value.
The nationwide average effective property tax rate stood at 0.888% for 2024.
Hamilton, La Harpe, and Warsaw ranked highest for median tax rates among Hancock County cities.
This article uses estimated inflation measures for 2026 and property tax information from 2024 provided by the county, so actual effective tax rates could differ slightly from these calculations.
Across the U.S., home prices kept increasing in 2025. The national median climbed to about $447,000 as of June, up 1.13% from one year before, according to Redfin. There was also a substantial imbalance in the market, with sellers outnumbering buyers by 36% (a gap of 508,715 homes). Redfin considers a market balanced if the number of sellers and buyers is within 10%.
The table below shows a comparison of median effective property tax rates, based on first-quarter 2026 sales and tax data, for Hamilton and additional Hancock County locations.
| City | Q1 2026 Sales | Q1 2026 Median Price | Median tax 2026 | Effective tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | 9 | $77,500 | $2,281 | 2.9% |
| La Harpe | 3 | $59,600 | $1,655 | 2.8% |
| Warsaw | 9 | $85,000 | $2,047 | 2.4% |
| Carthage | 10 | $105,000 | $2,182 | 2.1% |
| Nauvoo | 3 | $185,000 | $2,743 | 1.5% |
| Dallas City | 2 | $121,000 | $1,515 | 1.3% |