Understanding Property Taxes in Middlesex County, Ontario

Property taxes in Middlesex County are calculated by combining your MPAC-assessed property value with three separate rate components: your local municipality's rate, the county rate, and the provincial education rate. As a REALTOR® with Century 21, First Canadian who works with buyers and sellers across London, Strathroy, Ilderton, Dorchester, Thorndale, Parkhill, and the rest of Middlesex County, I get asked about property taxes on almost every showing. This guide breaks down how the system works, what changed in the 2026 budget cycle, and what it means for your bottom line whether you're buying or selling.

Key Takeaways

• Property taxes in Middlesex County combine a local municipal rate, a county rate, and an education rate — all applied to your MPAC-assessed value.
• Middlesex County Council adopted its 2026 budget with a 3.87% increase to the county portion of the tax levy, according to the County of Middlesex.
• Strathroy-Caradoc's 2026 budget carries a blended municipal, county, and education tax increase of about 3.80%, per the municipality's own published figures.
• The City of London is not part of Middlesex County — it's a separate single-tier municipality with its own budget and tax rate, even though it sits at the county's centre.
• Tax rates vary by municipality within the county, so the same-priced home can carry a different annual tax bill depending on whether it's in Strathroy, Ilderton, Dorchester, or elsewhere.

How Property Taxes Actually Work in Ontario

Every property in Ontario is assessed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, or MPAC — an independent, not-for-profit corporation that values all properties in the province under the Assessment Act. Your current assessment is still based on a January 1, 2016 valuation date, since the province has postponed a province-wide reassessment for several cycles running.

That assessed value gets multiplied by a combined tax rate to produce your annual bill. In Middlesex County, that combined rate is actually three rates stacked together: the municipal portion (set by your local council — Strathroy-Caradoc, Middlesex Centre, Thames Centre, North Middlesex, Southwest Middlesex, Adelaide Metcalfe, or Lucan Biddulph), the county portion (set by Middlesex County Council), and the education portion (set by the provincial Minister of Finance to fund school boards).

I always tell clients: your tax bill isn't one number set by one government. It's three numbers added together, and each one can move independently from year to year.

Middlesex County's 2026 Budget and What It Means

Middlesex County Council passed its 2026 budget by-law with a 3.87% increase to the county portion of the tax levy. For residential properties, that translates to roughly $17.89 more per $100,000 of MPAC-assessed value, according to the County of Middlesex. On a home assessed at $500,000, that's an increase of about $89 to the county portion alone for the year — before you factor in your local municipal rate or the education portion.

That county figure applies across all seven lower-tier municipalities that make up Middlesex County. What varies is the municipal portion layered on top, which each town or township sets independently based on its own budget needs.

How Rates Differ Across Middlesex County's Communities

Take Strathroy-Caradoc as an example, since it's one of the county's larger and faster-growing municipalities. For 2026, the municipal portion of Strathroy-Caradoc's tax levy rose 4.53%. Combined with the county's 3.87% increase and no change from the education portion, the blended increase in Strathroy-Caradoc works out to roughly 3.80% — about $215.62 more per $400,000 of assessed home value, based on figures published by the municipality.

Ilderton and Dorchester fall under different lower-tier governments (Middlesex Centre and Thames Centre, respectively), and Parkhill falls under North Middlesex — each with its own municipal rate set separately from Strathroy-Caradoc's. This is exactly why I encourage clients to pull the specific tax rate for the municipality they're buying in rather than assuming one Middlesex County number applies everywhere. If you're comparing a listing in Ilderton to one in Dorchester, the sale prices might be close, but the annual tax bills often aren't identical.

The City of London: A Separate Tax Structure Next Door

Even though it sits at the geographic centre of Middlesex County and serves as the county seat, the City of London is its own single-tier municipality — it is not governed by Middlesex County Council and doesn't pay the county portion described above. London sets its own municipal tax rate through its own council and budget process, layered only with the provincial education portion.

This matters for buyers cross-shopping between, say, a home in London's Byron neighbourhood and a comparably priced home in Ilderton or Komoka. The tax structures are genuinely different, not just the rate — one bill includes a county line item, the other doesn't. I'd rather walk you through both scenarios with real numbers than have you guess.

What This Means for Buyers and Sellers

For buyers, property taxes are a recurring cost that belongs in your monthly budget alongside your mortgage payment, just like heating or insurance. I build expected tax costs into every showing conversation, especially for first-time buyers moving from renting, where property tax simply wasn't part of the monthly math before.

For sellers, your current tax bill is public information buyers can and will look up, and it becomes part of how they compare your home to others on the market. If your assessment feels out of step with comparable homes nearby, it's worth understanding why before you list — sometimes it's a straightforward fix, sometimes it's just how MPAC's cycle has landed on your specific property.

Either way, exact current-year rates and your specific property's assessed value should always be confirmed directly with your local municipal tax office or MPAC before you finalize a budget — the figures above are 2026 county and Strathroy-Caradoc examples, and every municipality sets its own number.

Appealing Your Assessment

If you believe your MPAC assessment doesn't reflect your property's value, you can file a Request for Reconsideration (RfR) directly with MPAC, free of charge, before the deadline printed on your Property Assessment Notice. MPAC reviews the request and can adjust the assessment if warranted. I've walked several clients through this process, and it's worth doing if your assessed value seems out of line with recent comparable sales in your area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the City of London part of Middlesex County for tax purposes?
No. London is a separate single-tier municipality with its own council and budget. It does not pay the Middlesex County portion of property tax that applies to Strathroy, Ilderton, Dorchester, and the county's other communities.

Why did my Middlesex County tax bill go up if my home's value didn't change?
Municipal, county, and education tax rates can all rise from year to year based on local budgets, even when your MPAC assessment stays the same. The county portion alone increased 3.87% for 2026, according to Middlesex County's adopted budget.

Do all Middlesex County municipalities have the same tax rate?
No. Each of the county's seven lower-tier municipalities — including Strathroy-Caradoc, Middlesex Centre, Thames Centre, and North Middlesex — sets its own municipal rate. The county portion is consistent across all of them, but the total combined rate varies by municipality.

How do I find the exact tax rate for a specific property I'm considering?
Your local municipal office can confirm the current mill rate, and your REALTOR® can pull the property's most recent tax bill amount from the listing data. I do this for every client before we go see a home.

Can I dispute my property assessment if I think it's too high?
Yes. You can file a free Request for Reconsideration with MPAC before the deadline on your assessment notice, and MPAC will review whether an adjustment is warranted.

Ready to Talk Numbers?

Property taxes are one more piece of the puzzle when you're deciding where in Middlesex County makes sense for your budget and your life — and it's one I walk through with every client, whether you're comparing London to Ilderton or Strathroy to Dorchester. If you'd like a clear picture of what a specific home or neighbourhood actually costs to own, I'd love to help. Call or text me at (647) 883-7135, or schedule a free consultation and let's map it out together.