The jump in Clermont County property values didn't happen overnight. Auditor Linda Fraley points to the housing market as the primary driver — specifically the combination of historically low housing inventory, surging buyer demand, and meaningful population growth across the county's communities. When fewer homes are available and more people want them, prices climb. Reappraisals capture where that market landed.

Fraley admitted even she was taken aback when reviewing what buyers have been paying. 'I looked at some of the prices that people paid for houses, and I'm telling my age a little bit, and I'm kind of shocked myself,' she told WCPO. The reappraisal is meant to bring assessed values in line with actual market conditions — which means some homeowners will see substantial increases on paper.

The average countywide increase for the 2026 reappraisal was 22% for residential,Krissy Broussard, Deputy Auditor

What the Reappraisal Does — and Doesn't — Mean

If your property value goes up 25%, your property taxes will go up 25% too.

Verdict: false

Clermont County Auditor Linda Fraley was direct about this: 'There's not a direct correlation.' Most voter-approved levies are adjusted after a reappraisal to generate approximately the same revenue as before. Any additional revenue beyond that must be voter-approved.

The 2026 reappraisal reflects current market conditions.

Verdict: true

The reappraisal is designed to update property values to reflect where the market actually is. Low housing inventory, increased buyer demand, and population growth across Clermont County communities all contributed to the 22% average residential increase.

There is nothing you can do if you disagree with your reappraisal value.

Verdict: false

Property owners can email reappraisal@clermontcountyohio.gov, call (513) 732-7150, or fill out a Property Value Review Form to formally dispute their valuation. The auditor's office also provides comparable sales data online to help owners make their case.

The last full reappraisal before 2026 happened in 2020.

Verdict: true

The 2020 reappraisal was the previous county-wide update, with a mid-cycle adjustment in 2023. The 2026 release marks the first full reappraisal in six years.

The auditor's office is aware that a 22% average jump is jarring — especially for homeowners on fixed incomes or anyone who wasn't planning to sell. That's why Fraley and Deputy Auditor Krissy Broussard have made a point of walking residents through how to use the county's online tools to independently verify whether their new assessment makes sense.

The key tool is the comparable sales lookup. Reappraisals aren't based on guesses — they're anchored to actual recorded sale prices of similar nearby homes. If you think your new value is too high (or even too low), seeing what comparable properties actually sold for is your first line of defense.

You can look up your property under the property search; theres interactive maps, theres a place where you can go and look at comparable sales,Krissy Broussard, Deputy Auditor

How to Double-Check Your Reappraisal

1. Find your property on the auditor's site — Go to the Clermont County Auditor's property search tool and enter your address. Your 2026 tentative value is now posted.
2. Review comparable sales in your area — The auditor's site includes a section where you can see what similar homes nearby actually sold for. This is the same data used to set your value.
3. Use the interactive map — The auditor's interactive maps let you visualize values and sales across the county — useful for spotting patterns in your neighborhood.
4. Disagree? Submit a review request — If the comparable sales don't justify your assessed value, fill out a Property Value Review Form. Gathering specific sales data before you submit will strengthen your case.
5. Contact the auditor's office directly — Email reappraisal@clermontcountyohio.gov or call (513) 732-7150 with questions. The office can walk you through your options.

How Well Do You Understand Your Property Reappraisal?

Four questions. Find out what the notice in your mailbox actually means.

How often does Clermont County conduct a full property reappraisal?

• Every year — Annual full reappraisals would be unusually frequent. Clermont County's last full reappraisal before 2026 was in 2020 — six years earlier.
• Every three years — Not quite. The county did do a mid-cycle update in 2023, but the last full reappraisal before 2026 was 2020 — a six-year gap.
• Approximately every six years, with mid-cycle updates — Correct. The 2026 reappraisal is the first full update since 2020, with a partial adjustment in 2023 in between.
• Only when the property is sold — Reappraisals happen countywide on a schedule — not only at the point of sale. Every property in Clermont County was updated in 2026 regardless of whether it changed hands.

What was the average countywide residential increase in the 2026 reappraisal?

• 8% — That figure would reflect a modest adjustment — but the actual countywide average came in nearly three times higher, at 22%, according to Deputy Auditor Krissy Broussard.
• 15% — Close-ish, but the auditor's office reported the average residential increase at 22% — driven by low inventory, high demand, and significant population growth.
• 22% — That's the number. Deputy Auditor Krissy Broussard confirmed the average countywide residential increase for 2026 was 22%.
• 35% — The countywide average was 22%. Auditor Linda Fraley said even she was surprised by some individual sale prices — but the overall average landed at 22%.

If your assessed property value increases by 25%, what happens to your property tax bill?

• It increases by exactly 25% — This is the most common misconception. Auditor Fraley was clear: 'There's not a direct correlation.' Most voter-approved levies are adjusted after reappraisal to generate roughly the same revenue as before.
• It increases, but by a different amount — Partly right — taxes can change, but not necessarily in proportion. Most levies are adjusted post-reappraisal. New revenue beyond those adjustments requires a separate voter approval.
• It doesn't automatically increase at the same rate — Correct. Fraley specifically used a 25% value increase as her example and said it does not mean taxes go up 25%. Changes in value don't always produce proportional tax changes.
• Property taxes never change after a reappraisal — That's too absolute. While there's no direct one-to-one correlation, tax bills can shift after a reappraisal. The key is that most levies are recalibrated — and new revenue requires voter approval.

Which of the following is NOT one of the factors the auditor's office cited for rising property values in Clermont County?

• Historically low housing inventory — Low inventory was specifically cited by the auditor's office as one of the drivers behind rising values countywide.
• Increased buyer demand — Increased demand was listed by the auditor's office alongside low inventory and population growth as a key factor in the 2026 reappraisal numbers.
• Significant population growth — Population growth across many Clermont County communities was explicitly cited by the auditor's office as a contributor to rising property values.
• New construction driving down existing home prices — Correct — this was not cited. The auditor's office identified low inventory, high demand, and population growth as the drivers. New construction driving down prices was not among them.

What the Reappraisal Process Looks Like: Key Facts

The broader economic picture adds context to what Clermont County homeowners are experiencing. The county's rising values are part of a national pattern — the U.S. Consumer Price Index has tracked sustained cost increases across the economy since 2020, reflecting the same inflationary pressures that pushed housing prices upward. Ohio's 3.7% unemployment rate as of May 2026 points to a relatively healthy local job market, which economists generally link to sustained housing demand.

The bottom line for Clermont County residents: the 2026 reappraisal is tentative, not final. You have the tools, the data, and the right to push back if something looks off. The auditor's office says they want to hear from property owners — and the process to challenge a valuation is more accessible than most people expect.

Challenge Your Reappraisal or Get Help

• Email the Auditor's Office: Send questions or begin a review by emailing the reappraisal team directly.
• Call (513) 732-7150: Speak directly with the Clermont County Auditor's office about your specific property valuation.
• Submit a Property Value Review Form: Formally dispute your assessed value by completing the auditor's Property Value Review Form. Gather comparable sales data from the auditor's site before submitting.
• Look Up Your Property Online: Use the auditor's property search, interactive maps, and comparable sales tool to verify your value independently — before deciding whether to challenge it.

How Property Taxes Actually Work After a Reappraisal

The connection between a reappraisal and your actual tax bill is less direct than most people assume. When countywide values rise, most voter-approved levies are adjusted to collect roughly the same total revenue as before — not more, just recalibrated to the new value base. This is sometimes called a 'rollback.'

Where taxes can genuinely increase is with new levies that voters approved after the last reappraisal, or with certain classes of levies structured to grow with values. Any new revenue that goes beyond recalibration must be approved by Clermont County voters at the ballot. Auditor Fraley's office has a frequently asked questions page that breaks this down in detail — and the office encourages residents to look at their specific situation rather than assuming the worst from a headline percentage.

Sources & References

• Primary source: WCPO Cincinnati — Sam Harasimowicz
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers — June 2026, Seasonally Adjusted