Magna New Construction: What Is the Property Tax Catch?
Magna is one of the more affordable new-construction markets in Salt Lake County, especially for townhomes, but it carries the highest effective property tax rate of any new-construction submarket in the valley – about 0.75% of assessed value, for both single-family and townhomes, based on 2024 assessor records. For comparison, most Utah County new-construction cities run 0.44% to 0.55%, and even Herriman, the highest-rate southwest Salt Lake County production city, is about 0.595%. On a $600,000 Magna new home, that rate works out to roughly a $4,100 annual property tax bill. It is not a reason to avoid Magna, but it is a real number to put in your monthly payment math – the lower purchase price is partly offset by the higher tax rate over time. Effective rates are from tax year 2024 assessor records on completed new-construction homes (2023-2025 builds); a brand-new 2026 home is assessed on land only for its first year or two, so your first tax bill will look tiny and then jump to roughly the rate times what you paid once the county adds the house to the roll. Figures are as of September 2026 and move with annual valuations and mill rates. All rates assume the primary-residence exemption; a rental or second home pays roughly 1.8 times as much.
Related: New Construction in Magna · Which Utah Cities Have the Lowest Property Tax Rate for a New Home? · Utah Cities and Communities Guide