36581 Property Tax Rate
Sunflower, Alabama · Part of Washington County
Effective Tax Rate
0.21%
6.9% above state avgMedian Annual Tax
$647
$54/mo escrow
Estimate Your Tax
Annual Tax
$647
Monthly
$54
Eff. Rate
0.21%
Buyer decision brief
What ZIP 36581 means for your housing budget
Use this ZIP page to compare recurring tax burden before you compare listing prices. The numbers below are Census ZCTA estimates, so they are strongest for neighborhood comparison and weakest for parcel-specific tax planning.
Monthly escrow signal
$54/mo
Based on median annual tax paid
State context
0.16 percentage points below the Alabama average
Alabama average: 0.37%
Data confidence
Use cautionThe Census margin of error is $440, about 68% of the median tax estimate.
Verify before you offer
- Confirm parcel assessed value with Washington County assessor.
- Check homestead, senior, veteran, and disability exemptions.
- Ask whether purchase triggers reassessment or value-cap reset.
- Review school district and special assessment boundaries.
Lower-rate similar ZIPs
This is informational content, not tax, legal, or mortgage advice. Local assessor records remain the source of truth for a specific property.
Data confidence ledger
Can you trust ZIP 36581 for comparison?
ACS vintage
2019-2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
Five-year Census ZCTA estimates.
ZCTA caveat
Census area, not parcel boundary
USPS ZIP routes and taxing districts can differ inside the same area.
Field completeness
3/3 required fields
Median tax, home value, and derived rate are present.
MOE status
Very high margin of error
$440 tax MOE, 68% of the median tax estimate.
Last site refresh
March 10, 2026
Dataset and page-quality audit run locally before publication.
County fallback
County context only
Washington County is used for assessor verification and broader context.
Tax bill anatomy
What can change your actual bill in ZIP 36581
Use the ZIP estimate to compare neighborhoods, then verify these parcel-level inputs before relying on a payment estimate.
Assessed value
The ZCTA median home value is $305,500, but your bill starts with the local assessed value for a specific parcel.
Effective rate
The displayed rate is 0.21%, derived from median tax paid divided by median home value.
Exemptions
Homestead, senior, veteran, disability, and local exemptions can reduce taxable value. Confirm eligibility before estimating escrow.
Reassessment
A purchase can change assessed value depending on Alabama and county rules. Ask how sale price affects the next assessment cycle.
Escrow impact
The median tax paid in this ZCTA equals about $54 per month before insurance, HOA dues, or special assessments.
Assessor verification
Washington County assessor or tax collector records are the source of truth for parcel taxes, appeal windows, and exemptions.
How ZIP 36581 Compares
Median Annual Property Tax
ZIP 36581
0.21%
Effective rate
Alabama Avg
0.37%
Effective rate
National Avg
1.10%
Effective rate
State Ranking
Property Tax Rank in Alabama
Lower than 94% of ZIP codes in Alabama(6th percentile, 551 ZIPs compared)
Property Tax Analysis
Property Tax Insights for ZIP 36581
Property owners in ZIP code 36581 (Sunflower, Alabama) pay a median of $647/year in property taxes on homes valued at $305,500. This translates to an effective tax rate of 0.21%, which is 42% below the Alabama state average of 0.37%.
The monthly property tax burden for a median-valued home in 36581 is approximately $54, which factors into escrow payments on mortgages. This ZIP code is located within Washington County.
Compared to similar ZIP codes in Alabama, 36581 has lower property taxes. ZIP codes with similar effective rates include 36251 (0.21%) and 35774 (0.21%).
If you're considering purchasing a home in 36581, keep in mind that property taxes are based on the assessed value assigned by the local assessor, which may differ from the purchase price. In some states, properties are reassessed at or near the sale price upon transfer of ownership. For the most current tax information for a specific property, consult Washington County's tax assessor directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in ZIP code 36581?
How much are property taxes in Sunflower, AL (36581)?
How does ZIP 36581 compare to the Alabama average?
What is the median home value in ZIP 36581?
What county is ZIP code 36581 in?
Margin of Error
The median property tax estimate for this ZIP code has a margin of error of ±$440. ZCTA-level data has wider margins than county-level estimates due to smaller sample sizes.
County-Level Data
ZIP code 36581 is part of Washington County, Alabama. View the full county profile for broader context and more data.
View Washington County on TaxByCounty →Why compare these ZIPs?
Better comparison set for ZIP 36581
Each ZIP highlights a homebuyer tradeoff: lower rate, stronger value context, shared county rules, city boundary changes, or nearby missing data.
36539
Fruitdale, AL
0.04 percentage points lower than ZIP 36581.
Rate
0.17%
Tax
$296
Quality
76
36569
Saint Stephens, AL
0.01 percentage points lower than ZIP 36581.
Rate
0.20%
Tax
$260
Quality
79
35213
Birmingham, AL
$447,900 higher median home value than ZIP 36581.
Rate
0.77%
Tax
$5,785
Quality
94
35223
Birmingham, AL
$438,900 higher median home value than ZIP 36581.
Rate
0.87%
Tax
$6,445
Quality
94
36052
Mathews, AL
$243,700 higher median home value than ZIP 36581.
Rate
0.23%
Tax
$1,250
Quality
82
36561
Orange Beach, AL
$223,600 higher median home value than ZIP 36581.
Rate
0.29%
Tax
$1,524
Quality
79
35243
Birmingham, AL
$178,900 higher median home value than ZIP 36581.
Rate
0.78%
Tax
$3,765
Quality
94
35406
Tuscaloosa, AL
$161,500 higher median home value than ZIP 36581.
Rate
0.41%
Tax
$1,937
Quality
89
Data from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates (ZCTA level). ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census approximations of USPS ZIP codes.
Estimates are informational only and should not be used as financial or legal advice.