BOISE, Idaho — Ada County homeowners may experience some sticker shock when they get their property tax assessments in the mail.
"People are selling their homes in California, Oregon and Washington because those homes are so much more expensive than the homes here in Ada County are," said Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade.
McQuade says last year the population in Ada County grew by 3.6 percent.
All that growth is driving the price of homes up.
This year, the median increase in property value assessments in Ada County is 16 percent.
"Last year it was about an 11 and a half percent increase in the county, so this is up about five percent more," McQuade said. "The year before it was about six percent I believe, so it’s really starting to increase."
Specifically, for homeowners in southeast Meridian, property values are up 13 percent.
In southeast Boise, property values are up by 14 percent.
In the North End, homeowners can expect an 18 percent increase in values.
And on the Boise Bench, homeowners will see a 20 percent spike in their property values.
"The reason that is, the North End has become so expensive that people really can't afford to move in there and are going out to the Bench area and that's what's driving that up," McQuade said.
If you get your tax assessment and think there may be an error, call the assessor's number at the bottom of the tax sheet.
If you think the increase is unfair, you can file and appeal with the county commissioners, and if they feel a change is warranted they could make one.