Property owners in National City paid 0.7% of their home values in property taxes during the first quarter of 2026, a rate that is less than 0.7 times the U.S. average, data from BlockShopper.com show.
For the same period, three homes were sold in National City, and the median sales price was $625,000. In 2026, the typical tax bill in the city stood at $4,097, representing 0.7% of the median property value.
The average effective property tax rate nationwide was 0.888% in 2024.
Within San Diego County, Imperial Beach, Julian and Hidden Meadows ranked as the top three cities with the highest effective property tax rates.
This article determines the 2026 effective property tax rate based on estimated inflation and county property tax information from 2024. There may be minor variations in actual effective property tax rates.
Redfin data indicate that U.S. home prices continued to climb in 2025, reaching a national median of approximately $447,000 in June. That figure marks a 1.13% gain compared with a year earlier. Redfin also reports a substantial disparity in supply and demand, with 36% more sellers than buyers, translating to a deficit of 508,715 homes. According to Redfin, a market is considered balanced when the number of sellers and buyers differs by no more than 10%.
The table below lists Imperial Beach’s median effective property tax rate and compares it with other cities in San Diego County, using sales and tax data from the first quarter of 2026.
| City | Q1 2026 Sales | Q1 2026 Median Price | Median tax 2026 | Effective tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial Beach | 3 | $388,000 | $5,702 | 1.5% |
| Julian | 3 | $275,000 | $3,731 | 1.4% |
| Hidden Meadows | 2 | $855,000 | $9,078 | 1.1% |
| Spring Valley | 8 | $585,000 | $5,606 | 1% |
| San Marcos | 13 | $829,000 | $7,214 | 0.9% |
| Lakeside | 4 | $652,000 | $5,730 | 0.9% |
| Borrego Springs | 4 | $297,250 | $2,613 | 0.9% |
| San Diego Country Estates | 9 | $780,000 | $6,768 | 0.9% |
| La Mesa | 12 | $670,000 | $5,449 | 0.8% |
| Winter Gardens | 5 | $643,000 | $5,251 | 0.8% |
| El Cajon | 27 | $732,500 | $5,702 | 0.8% |
| Valley Center | 6 | $926,750 | $7,175 | 0.8% |
| La Presa | 4 | $644,500 | $4,922 | 0.8% |
| Jamul | 4 | $1,036,500 | $7,789 | 0.8% |
| Alpine | 3 | $930,000 | $7,021 | 0.8% |
| Fallbrook | 7 | $809,000 | $6,033 | 0.7% |
| Bostonia | 2 | $700,000 | $5,215 | 0.7% |
| Chula Vista | 44 | $859,000 | $6,369 | 0.7% |
| Santee | 10 | $720,000 | $5,088 | 0.7% |
| Fairbanks Ranch | 2 | $4,750,000 | $34,360 | 0.7% |
| Escondido | 39 | $750,000 | $5,501 | 0.7% |
| Campo | 3 | $520,000 | $3,603 | 0.7% |
| Harbison Canyon | 2 | $935,000 | $6,493 | 0.7% |
| Ramona | 5 | $809,000 | $6,059 | 0.7% |
| Lemon Grove | 3 | $770,000 | $5,209 | 0.7% |
| National City | 3 | $625,000 | $4,097 | 0.7% |
| San Diego | 304 | $950,000 | $6,135 | 0.6% |
| Vista | 17 | $890,000 | $5,748 | 0.6% |
| Oceanside | 66 | $764,500 | $4,940 | 0.6% |
| Rancho Santa Fe | 4 | $4,450,000 | $27,003 | 0.6% |
| Poway | 9 | $1,280,000 | $7,328 | 0.6% |
| Carlsbad | 33 | $1,565,000 | $8,396 | 0.5% |
| Bonsall | 2 | $1,262,500 | $6,519 | 0.5% |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix | 3 | $1,400,000 | $7,163 | 0.5% |
| Rancho San Diego | 7 | $1,315,000 | $6,575 | 0.5% |
| Bonita | 2 | $1,433,500 | $6,824 | 0.5% |
| Coronado | 3 | $2,327,000 | $12,523 | 0.5% |
| Lake San Marcos | 4 | $1,490,000 | $5,823 | 0.4% |
| Granite Hills | 3 | $1,850,000 | $6,923 | 0.4% |
| Solana Beach | 3 | $2,900,000 | $10,394 | 0.4% |
| Encinitas | 7 | $2,580,000 | $8,684 | 0.3% |
Information referenced in this article comes from BlockShopper.com. Source data are available here.