To calculate the millage, or mill rate, a property owner divides the number of mills by 1,000. For example, say a local taxing authority has a mill rate of 15 on the assessed value of real property in its jurisdiction. That puts the property tax rate at 1.5% before any adjustments or exemptions.

The millage rate is the amount per $1,000 of assessed value that's levied in taxes. Millage rates are expressed in tenths of a penny, meaning one mill is $0.001. For example, on a $300,000 home, a millage rate of $0.003 will equal $900 in taxes owed ($0.003 x $300,000 assessed value = $900).