River Rouge property taxes & housing data
River Rouge is taxed at 73.6904 mills across 1 school district. That is 23.61 mills above the Wayne County median and 41.09 mills above the Southeast Michigan median — the 43rd lowest of 43 municipalities in the county, and 236 of 236 region-wide.
Rates by school district
| School district | Homestead | Non-homestead | $250,000 | $350,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Rouge City School District | 73.6904 | 88.5404 | $9,211 | $12,896 | $18,423 |
Homestead (PRE) applies to your primary residence. Non-homestead applies to rentals and second homes. Dollar columns are the annual bill at the uncapped taxable value — half the purchase price — at the homestead rate.
How River Rouge compares in Wayne County
| Municipality | Lowest millage | Annual tax on $350,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Highland Park | 63.2210 | $11,064 |
| Detroit | 64.1844 | $11,232 |
| Harper Woods | 69.1266 | $12,097 |
| Ecorse | 71.6508 | $12,539 |
| River Rouge | 73.6904 | $12,896 |
For sale in River Rouge right now
34 active listings in River Rouge — the 6 newest below. Remember: every one of them uncaps the year after closing, so the bill you should budget is the uncapped one above, not the seller's.
$110,000
421 Polk Avenue · River Rouge
3 bd · 1 ba · 250 sqft
Listing courtesy of Coleman Realty Group
$157,800
135 Batavia Street · River Rouge
4 bd · 2 ba · 2,260 sqft
Listing courtesy of Got Key'D Realty
$79,900
147 Charles Street · River Rouge
3 bd · 1 ba · 950 sqft
Listing courtesy of Keller Williams Legacy
$179,900
50 Elm Street · River Rouge
4 bd · 2 ba · 1,454 sqft
Listing courtesy of Summit Union Real Estate
$130,000
60 Stoner Street · River Rouge
3 bd · 2 ba · 1,896 sqft
Listing courtesy of KW Professionals
$90,000
314 Burke Street · River Rouge
2 bd · 2 ba · 864 sqft
Listing courtesy of Real Estate One Inc Southgate
IDX provided courtesy of Realcomp II Ltd. via Match Realty LLC and Greater Metropolitan Association of REALTORS, Realcomp II Ltd, ©2026 Realcomp II Ltd. Shareholders. The accuracy of all information, regardless of source, is not guaranteed or warranted. All information should be independently verified. Listings refreshed 2026-09-04T09:58-04:00; refreshed at least twice daily.
Compare River Rouge with another community
River Rouge has 2 side-by-side comparisons, 1 of them with a community that shares a school district — same schools, different bill. Dollar columns are the annual homestead bill on a $350,000 home at the uncapped taxable value, and the last column is the difference against River Rouge.
| Comparison | Their lowest millage | Annual tax on $350,000 | vs River Rouge |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Rouge vs Harper Woods | 69.1266 | $12,097 | −$799 |
| River Rouge vs Ecorse · same schools | 71.6508 | $12,539 | −$357 |
What it's like to own in River Rouge
Beyond the tax rate, three things shape what owning in River Rouge actually costs: the age of the homes, what the water utility reports at the tap, and what local air testing has turned up. Each figure below carries the date of the survey it came from.
Housing stock
1931
average year built · 1,224 sqft average across 2,152 single-family homes
SEMCOG Buildings_2024
Lead in drinking water
13 ppb
90th percentile for River Rouge · above Michigan's 12 ppb action level. Water systems over the action level must take corrective steps. Sampled at the fifth liter, which deliberately draws water that sat in the service line and reads higher by design — not comparable to systems that sample standard.
EGLE / MDHHS water-system monitoring, periods ending 2025-12-31
Radon
0.0 pCi/L
average across 1 home tests · 0% above the EPA 4 pCi/L action level — low. ZIP 48218.
MDHHS indoor radon test results by ZIP
Lead is measured at the water system, not the house — it cannot tell you whether a specific property has a lead service line. Radon is a ZIP-level test distribution, not a prediction for any one home; the EPA recommends testing every home regardless. Screening information only.
Common questions
What is the property tax rate in River Rouge, Michigan?
River Rouge is taxed at 73.6904 mills for a homestead (principal residence) under the official 2025 Michigan Department of Treasury millage report. On a $350,000 home at the uncapped taxable value that is about $12,896 a year.
Does the tax rate change by address within River Rouge?
No. All of River Rouge sits in River Rouge City School District, so the millage is 73.6904 at every address in the municipality. Your bill still changes after you buy, because it is recalculated on the uncapped taxable value rather than the seller's capped one.
How much are property taxes on a $350,000 home in River Rouge?
About $12,896 a year at the homestead rate. Michigan taxes the taxable value, not the sale price, and after a sale that value uncaps to roughly half what you paid — so $350,000 is taxed on about $175,000.
Why is the tax bill on a River Rouge listing lower than what I would pay?
Because the figure on the listing is the seller's. Michigan caps annual taxable-value growth while an owner keeps the property, and that cap is removed the year after it sells. The longer the seller owned it, the further their bill sits below yours.
How does River Rouge compare with the rest of Wayne County?
It is the 43 lowest of 43 municipalities in Wayne County and 236 of 236 across the eight-county region — 23.61 mills above the county median.
Is down payment assistance available for homes in River Rouge?
Likely, but verify per program: 100% of the 49 River Rouge sales evaluated by Down Payment Resource over the last 12 months were flagged as potentially matching at least one assistance program. The flag is an indicator, not a promise — compare the programs and check your numbers.
What your River Rouge taxes become after you buy
Michigan taxable value uncaps the year after a sale and resets to roughly half the purchase price. The calculator below is already set to River Rouge — enter a price and the seller's current taxable value.
Uncapping calculator
When a Michigan home changes hands, its taxable value uncaps the following year and resets to roughly half the sale price. Buyers routinely get blindsided by a bill that's thousands higher than the listing showed. Here's your actual number.
What will your tax bill be after closing?
Your taxable value uncaps the year after closing and resets to roughly half the purchase price — so a $350,000 home is taxed on about $175,000, whatever the seller was paying. Enter the price and the current taxable value below.