How Property Tax Works
DuPage County operates under Illinois's property tax system, where taxes are collected in arrears, meaning 2024 taxes are billed and collected in 2025. The county issues over 321,000 property tax bills annually to fund essential services including schools, municipalities, townships, parks, libraries, and county operations. Property taxes serve as the primary funding mechanism for local government services and school districts throughout DuPage County's 39 municipalities.
The effective property tax rate in DuPage County typically ranges around Illinois's base rate of approximately 2.27%, though actual rates vary by specific location within the county due to different combinations of taxing districts. Property owners benefit from Illinois's homeowner exemption, which can reduce the Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) by up to $10,000. The county operates under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), which provides some limitations on tax levy increases.