The STAR credit for new homeowners in Central New York (2026)
Short answer: New homeowners get STAR as a check from New York State toward the school tax. Basic STAR needs household income of $500,000 or less; Enhanced STAR is for owners 65 or older with income of $110,750 or less for 2026.
Who qualifies
Basic STAR: the home is your primary residence and the combined income of the owners and owners’ spouses who live there is $500,000 or less for the STAR credit.
Enhanced STAR: at least one resident owner is 65 or older by December 31 of the benefit year, and the combined income is $110,750 or less for 2026 benefits ($113,550 or less for 2027).
How a new owner gets it
Register for the STAR credit with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance after you buy. The credit is a check from the state toward your school tax; it is not taken off the bill itself.
How much it is worth here
The state publishes the maximum STAR savings for every school district and town. Across Oneida and Madison County the 2026-27 Basic amounts run from $80 to $622 a year (the Utica City School District is $327), and Enhanced amounts are roughly two to three times the Basic amount. Each town page on LumeInsight lists the amounts for its school districts.
Questions
- How much is the STAR credit in Utica?
- The state’s maximum 2026-27 STAR savings for the Utica City School District are $327 (Basic) and $918 (Enhanced).
- What is the income limit for STAR in 2026?
- $500,000 for the Basic STAR credit, and $110,750 for Enhanced STAR for 2026 benefits ($113,550 for 2027).
- Is STAR taken off my tax bill?
- Not for new homeowners. Since 2016 new buyers receive STAR as a credit check from New York State. Owners who have had the STAR exemption since 2015 on the same home can keep it on the bill.
See it for a real home
Look up any address in Oneida or Madison County: the bill for a new owner, the STAR credit, an assessment check and closing costs.
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