The short answer: most Garden City homeowners pay roughly $15,000 to $35,000 a year, depending on the home in property taxes. The median bill in the Garden City School District is about $23,390 a year (roughly $1,950 a month) before exemptions like STAR, according to LongIslandPropertyTax.com. Village of Garden City taxes are billed on top of that.
If you're thinking about buying or selling in Garden City, taxes are one of the first questions I get, and the answer depends a lot on the specific house. This guide explains where the number comes from, what you're paying for, and how to lower it.
How property taxes are calculated in Garden City
Your tax bill is your home's assessed value multiplied by the tax rates of each government that serves your address.
• Assessed value: Nassau County's Department of Assessment sets a market value for every home, then assesses it at 1% of that value. You can look up your home's market and assessed values on the county's LandRecord Lookup.
• Tax rates: the school district, county, town and village each set a rate based on their budgets. Garden City homes are taxed by the Garden City Union Free School District, Nassau County, the Town of Hempstead and the Incorporated Village of Garden City.
• Exemptions: STAR, veterans' and senior exemptions reduce the taxable amount (more on those below).
Two similar houses on the same block can have very different bills. Assessments, past grievances and exemptions all vary from house to house, so always check the specific tax bill for a home you're considering.
Where your tax dollars go
About 70% of a typical Garden City bill goes to the schools. Here's how the core levies break down per $1,000 of full market value, based on LongIslandPropertyTax.com (2024 roll year):
Levy
Rate per $1,000 of market value
Share
Garden City UFSD (school)
$11.37
70%
Nassau County
$3.04
19%
Town of Hempstead
$1.82
11%
Total, before village taxes
$16.23
100%
Village taxes come on top. The Village of Garden City runs its own police, fire, sanitation, parks and pools. Its 2025–26 budget raised the tax levy 2.5% to about $55.7 million, a rate of $51.90 per $100 of assessed value, according to the Village budget summary.
The school tax is billed in the fall and the county/town general tax in the winter, each payable in two halves through the Town of Hempstead Receiver of Taxes. The first half of the 2025–26 school tax was due without penalty by November 10, 2025 (Farrell Fritz). Village taxes are billed separately by the Village.
A real example: 38 Laurel Street
My recent listing at 38 Laurel Street, a renovated 5-bedroom farmhouse ranch in the Northeast section of Garden City, was listed at $1,399,000 with annual taxes of $17,503. That works out to about 1.25% of the list price, well below the district median bill.
Notice how much the number can move: public records showed $11,557 for 2025 on the same house. A gap like that can come from exemptions, renovations being picked up by the assessor, or which tax year is being quoted. When you're comparing homes, ask for the most recent full-year bill.
Exemptions that lower your bill
• Basic STAR: a school tax break for owner-occupied primary residences. Owners' combined income must not exceed $500,000 for the STAR credit (NYS Department of Taxation). New buyers register with New York State, which sends the credit as a check.
• Enhanced STAR: a larger school tax break for homeowners 65 and older. The 2026 income limit is $110,750 (NYS Department of Taxation).
• Veterans' exemptions: available to eligible veterans and some surviving spouses through Nassau County.
• Senior citizen and disability exemptions: income-based reductions offered through Nassau County.
If you just bought, make sure your exemptions are in your name. A seller's exemptions don't transfer to you, so your first full bill can look different from the one in the listing.
How to grieve your assessment in Nassau County
If you think your home's market value is set too high, you can file a free grievance with Nassau County's Assessment Review Commission (ARC). It's one of the most effective ways to lower your bill.
1. Watch for the window. Filing opens in early January when the county publishes the tentative assessment roll. The deadline is usually around March 1, though the county has extended it in recent years; for the current roll it was March 31, 2026 (Farrell Fritz).
2. Gather evidence. Recent comparable sales are the strongest proof. An appraisal or photos of the home's condition also help.
3. File the form online, by mail or in person. Filing yourself costs nothing; tax grievance companies typically keep a share of your first year's savings.
4. Wait for the decision. ARC can lower your assessment or leave it unchanged, but it can't raise it. If you disagree, you can file a Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) (Ownwell guide).
There's a lag: a grievance filed in early 2026 applies to the 2027–28 school tax and 2028 general tax bills, so savings show up more than a year later.
Garden City vs. nearby school districts
Garden City's taxes are high for Long Island but in line with the North Shore and other top-rated districts. Its median bill is about 76% above the Long Island median of $13,262 and ranks in the 97th percentile of 121 Long Island districts (LongIslandPropertyTax.com).
School district
Median annual bill (before exemptions)
East Williston
$25,090
Roslyn
$24,980
Jericho
$24,199
Garden City
$23,390
Rockville Centre
$23,275
Syosset
$22,763
Manhasset
$22,617
Great Neck
$21,467
Port Washington
$21,214
These medians cover school, county and town taxes only. Village taxes, where they apply, are extra.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average property tax in Garden City, NY? The median bill in the Garden City School District is about $23,390 a year before exemptions, plus Village of Garden City taxes.
What is the property tax rate in Garden City? School, county and town taxes together run about $16.23 per $1,000 of full market value. Village taxes are added on top.
Why are Garden City property taxes so high? Most of the bill funds the Garden City public schools, about 70% of the core taxes. The Village also provides its own police, fire, sanitation and recreation.
When are property taxes due in Garden City? School taxes are billed in the fall and county/town taxes in the winter, each payable in two halves. Village taxes are billed separately.
Can I lower my Garden City property taxes? Yes. Make sure you have every exemption you qualify for, like STAR, and file a grievance with Nassau County's Assessment Review Commission if your assessed value looks too high.
Thinking about buying or selling in Garden City?
Property taxes are a big part of what a home really costs, and they're often what buyers ask about first. I'm Laura Carroll, a Founding Agent of the Compass Garden City market. Before real estate I spent years on Wall Street, so I'm happy to walk you through the full monthly cost of any home you're considering, taxes included.
Call or text me at 917-370-5354 or email [email protected] for a free home valuation, a tax comparison on homes you're watching, or a look at Garden City homes before they hit the market.
Tax figures are estimates from public sources and change every year. Confirm the current bill for any specific property with the Town of Hempstead Receiver of Taxes and the Village of Garden City. This post is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Sources
• LongIslandPropertyTax.com: Garden City School District
• Village of Garden City 2025–26 Budget Summary
• Nassau County LandRecord Lookup
• Farrell Fritz: Nassau County 2025–26 School Tax Bills Issued
• Farrell Fritz: Nassau County Extends 2027–28 Appeal Deadline
• Ownwell: Nassau County Property Tax Grievance Guide
