The office of the Supervisor of Assessment administers the property assessment cycle for the local real estate tax.

Office responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Making ownership changes (per recorded deed) and address changes for tax billings.
  • Calculating farmland assessments from values that are certified by the Illinois Department of Revenue.
  • Applying equalization factors.
  • Assisting the Board of Review by providing needed information. For Board of Review Rules see Board of Review.
  • Assisting taxpayers in the preparation of the Senior Homestead Exemption and the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Application.
  • Processing other types of exemptions.
  • Maintaining mapping of aerial photography.
  • Compiling abstract information for the Illinois Department of Revenue.

In Illinois, the level of assessment is to be 33 1/3 percent of market value. The assessed value of the property, minus any exemptions if applicable, is the base on which tax levies are calculated. The tax rate is determined by the property tax dollars each local taxing body needs to operate. That rate multiplied by the equalized assessed value results in the tax dollar amount on your tax statement.

Rate questions are answered by the Greene County Clerk’s Office.

PTAX Forms:

Frequently Asked Questions:

A parcel of land used for agricultural purposes for at least two consecutive years is eligible for a preferential assessment. Farmland is assessed based on its agricultural economic value (AEV)(ie, its ability to produce income) rather than on 33 1/3 percent of its fair market value. The AEV is a calculation on an average of prices paid for agricultural products, production costs, and interest rates that are charged by the Federal Land Bank over a five-year period. The Department of Revenue certifies these values to all counties. Farm buildings are assessed at 33 1/3 percent of their contributory value to the productivity of the farm. Farm home sites and residences are assessed at 33 1/3 percent of fair market value.

The market value or fair market value is the estimated full value of the parcel should that parcel sell in a normal, arms-length transaction. The assessed value is one-third of the fair market value, as estimated by the Assessor. The equalized assessed value is the assessed value, as determined by the Board of Review that has been adjusted as needed with a multiplier (factor). The equalized assessed value forms the basis for property tax bills and the value from which all applicable homeowner exemptions are deducted.

Non-farm property is, by law, supposed to be assessed at one-third of its market value. However, due to differences in assessing methods and changes in the real estate market from year to year, assessed values for a jurisdiction do not always meet this statutory requirement. When overall assessments in a jurisdiction are determined to be above or below the statutory level (based on annual sales-ratio studies of actual sale prices compared to assessed values of properties), a multiplier (factor) is applied to all non-farm assessments in that jurisdiction. The result is that assessments overall in that jurisdiction are now at the statutory level and the taxing districts that generate property tax revenue from those assessments now have the proper base on which to levy.

For most non-farm property, the Assessor estimates the fair cash value, and then develops an assessed value based on 33.33% of that fair cash value of the property as of January 1 of the assessment year, based on the three prior years of sales. The Supervisor of Assessments then equalizes all assessments to provide uniform valuations in the County.

This is done to keep record that the person does still own the home and live there. They may move in with someone and be renting the home to another party.

Yes, there are preferred assessment programs that you may qualify for in regard to wooded acreage. Please read the Conservation Stewardship and Forestry Management Programs to learn more.

Do you have five or more acres of vacant wooded acreage that is not in a preferred assessment program? There are programs administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) that you may want to consider. The two programs most popular are the Forestry Management Program (FMP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

Illinois Publication 135 governs the FMP and CSP programs. On FMP, there is a minimum of ten contiguous acres with no buildings present. The Greene County Assessor’s office does not determine if a parcel qualifies for the FMP program; rather, an owner would need to contact the local Forestry Manager to start the process.

On CSP, this program was established by Illinois law in 2007. Per Publication 135, purpose is to maintain, preserve, conserve, and manage unimproved land that does not receive other preferred tax rates (an example is Farmland). This program is voluntary participation on the part of the taxpayer. Properties must not be used for residential or commercial purpose that “materially disturbs the land”. The land can be unimproved woodland, prairie, wetlands, or other vacant and undeveloped land. A minimum of five contiguous acres is required. Application may be made online through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources web site www.dnr.illinois.gov. The IDNR phone number for CSP is 217-785-8284. The CSP preferred assessment begins Jan 1 of the next year.

Qualifying properties are assessed at 5% of fair cash value rather than the 33 1/3% that is the normal assessment process. Approved plans are forwarded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) who notifies the County Assessor for implementation.