The purchase price of an Ozark home is fixed at closing, while the water, sewer and property tax bills that follow are changing in 2026. This year the City of Ozark raised water and sewer rates by 17.5%. That was the first water increase since 2015, and city staff have recommended more increases every year through 2035. The same spring, Christian County voters turned down a property tax credit that would have held primary-residence taxes near their 2024 level. Neither of those changes shows up on a listing.
Before the median price, look at whether the address is inside Ozark city limits and how property tax works in Christian County. Those two things affect your monthly budget more than a few thousand dollars at the negotiating table, and in late 2026 buyers have more room to negotiate than they did a year ago.
The City Limits Line Shows Up on the Water Bill
Ozark charges different water and sewer rates inside and outside city limits, and the difference is large. The Springfield Daily Citizen published the full 2026 rate table after the Board of Aldermen approved the increase on Feb. 17. The new rates took effect April 1.
| 2026 rate | Inside city limits | Outside city limits |
|---|---|---|
| Water, first 1,000 gallons | $14.69 | $22.03 |
| Water, each additional 1,000 | $3.88 | $5.82 |
| Sewer, first 1,000 gallons | $11.75 | $17.63 |
| Sewer, each additional 1,000 | $9.40 | $14.10 |
| Example: bill covering 5,000 gallons of water and sewer | $79.56 | $119.34 |
The bottom row is our own math, using a usage level we picked to make the comparison easy. Your actual bill depends on your household's usage. At that level, the inside-city bill is about $12 higher than it would have been under 2025 rates, which work out to $67.70. The outside-city bill is about 50% higher than the inside-city bill for the same water. Sewer is the bigger part of both bills, because each additional 1,000 gallons of sewer costs more than twice as much as each additional 1,000 gallons of water.
A mailing address that says Ozark doesn't tell you which rate applies. Before you compare two similar homes on price, check which side of the city limits each one is on.
Why the Increase Came All at Once
Ozark raised water rates in 2015 and sewer rates in 2020, then left them alone. Reporting on the vote, the Daily Citizen quoted a written statement Mayor Don Currence read at the Feb. 17 meeting:
"Through careful planning, operational efficiencies and the use of reserves, we have delayed increases as long as possible. That approach is no longer sustainable."
Public Works Director Jeremy Parsons told the board the city has identified about $104 million in projects needed over the next 10 years "just to keep up, not only with growth, but with aging infrastructure." The city's five-year capital plan includes a request for $7.5 million to build a new water tower and well in the northeast part of the city by 2027, an area that has seen fast commercial growth.
The 2026 vote covered only 2026. For the years after that, Public Works recommended this schedule:
- 8.5% in 2027
- 5% a year from 2028 through 2030
- 2% a year from 2031 through 2035
If the 2027 recommendation were approved and applied evenly, the $79.56 example bill would rise to about $86.32. Treat that as a scenario based on a staff recommendation, not a decision. The direction is clear, though. Ozark is moving from rare, large increases to steady, predictable ones, and a buyer who budgets from a seller's 2025 utility bills will come in low.
The Tax Freeze Christian County Turned Down
Property tax works the same way. The public numbers buyers usually check describe last year, and the actual bill keeps changing.
Senate Bill 3, which Gov. Mike Kehoe signed in June 2025, required some Missouri counties to put a homestead tax credit before voters. In Christian County, the credit would have effectively frozen property taxes on primary residences at the 2024 rate. Voters rejected it on April 7, 2026, with 5,286 no votes to 4,866 yes votes, or 52.07% against. Greene County was among the counties exempt from offering the credit at all.
That means a buyer moving into Ozark faces the same tax setup as a buyer in Springfield in one respect. Neither county has a freeze tied to the homeowner. The Ozark School District, Ozark Fire Protection District and Christian County are among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit arguing the credit violates the Missouri Constitution. The Daily Citizen reported that Christian County joined through an amended petition filed Jan. 16, 2026.
Here's how one piece of an Ozark tax bill is calculated:
- The Christian County Assessor assesses residential property at 19% of market value.
- A $340,000 home, the Christian County median sale price in August 2026, would have an assessed value of $64,600 if the assessor's market value matched the sale price.
- In August 2026 the Ozark R-VI board kept its total levy at $4.14 per $100 of assessed valuation.
- At that rate, the school district's share alone comes to about $2,674 a year. The fire district, county and other taxing entities each add their own levy.
The school levy has stayed at the same voter-approved level since about the 2003-04 school year. Over that time, the district's total assessed valuation grew about 3.9% in the most recent count, to just over $806 million. When the rate stays the same, a bill changes as the home's assessed value changes.
The Christian County Collector will mail 2026 tax statements on Nov. 2, and payment must be postmarked by Dec. 31. Anyone closing on a Christian County home this fall will be looking at the new bill within weeks.
A Slower Market Gives Buyers Room to Plan for These Costs
Rising costs would be harder on buyers if sellers still had all the leverage. The August 2026 numbers from the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors show more balance than that.
Christian County recorded 141 sales in August 2026, up from 120 in August 2025. The median sale price rose 7.5% to $340,000, while the average sale price slipped 0.5% to $362,531. When the median rises and the average falls, more of the sales are in the middle of the market and fewer are at the top. Homes also took longer to sell. Average days on market rose from 39 to 45, and cumulative days on market rose from 61 to 76.
These are countywide figures that include Ozark sales. A seller whose home has been listed for 76 days is usually more open to a conversation about price or concessions. Buyers who walk in with an accurate estimate of utility costs on each side of the city limits and the property tax that comes with a Christian County address have a concrete reason behind their offer.
Where Ozark's Growth Is Headed
The $104 million infrastructure list and the tax debate are both responses to growth, and one large project shows what that looks like. On Aug. 20, 2026, developers broke ground on Marabella, a 229-acre planned development between Farmer Branch and Blue Stem roads, east of James River Church. Plans call for 536 single-family lots across 18 phases, one phase of townhomes, one phase of multifamily housing and 10 commercial lots. That comes to almost 800 housing units in total, plus about four miles of walking trails. A trail along the south edge will be open to the public and is planned to eventually connect to the Chadwick Flyer trail. Director of Development Mark Trigg said the first single-family homes are targeted to start this winter and called it a four- to five-year project.
Roads are on a similar schedule. MoDOT lists intersection work at Route CC and 22nd Street from August through December 2026, and widening Route CC is still a future project. The Daily Citizen reported that a proposed U.S. 65 interchange at Longview Road is on the Ozarks Transportation Organization's 2027-2031 priorities list. As of that February 2026 report, it was not among the projects selected for funding through 2030, and officials said funding could take years.
For a buyer, that means more housing choices over the next several years, from entry-level homes to larger lots, along with continued demand on the water, sewer and road systems that the rate schedule and capital plan are meant to pay for.
Questions Buyers Ask About Ozark Carrying Costs
Does an Ozark mailing address mean city utility rates? Not necessarily. Ozark publishes separate rates for customers inside and outside city limits, and outside rates are higher on every line of the 2026 schedule. Confirm the property's jurisdiction and its utility provider before you compare homes.
Are 2027 water and sewer rates set? Public Works recommended 8.5% for 2027 in a February 2026 presentation. The Board of Aldermen's February vote approved only the 2026 increase, so the city's published agendas are the place to watch for what comes next.
Is there any property tax freeze for Christian County homeowners? Christian County voters rejected the SB 3 homestead credit on April 7, 2026, and taxing districts in the county are plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging the law. The Collector's office is the best source for your own bill.
This post is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Please confirm the details of a specific property with the county offices, the city or a qualified tax professional.
When we help buyers compare homes in Ozark, we look past the listing price at utility rates, the property's jurisdiction and the tax bill that comes with it, so the offer reflects what the home will actually cost to own. If you'd like help working out those numbers on a home you're considering, 417 Property Pros would be glad to go through them with you.
