ROCKLAND — Most Knox County municipalities will see reductions in their county tax bills, which are due to be mailed next week.

Those communities that have increases may attribute much of the problem to increased state valuations. The total tax assessment to municipalities dropped from $2.6 million last year to $2.5 million.

Appleton, North Haven, Union and Warren were the only communities that experienced increases.

Appleton saw its state valuation rise from $43.2 million to $45.1 million and its county tax jump from $41,780 to $42,260.

North Haven valuation went from $118 million to $122 million and its county tax increased a bit from $114,085 to $114,754.

Union’s state valuation increased from $83.9 million to $89.6 million, and its county assessment increased from $81,096 to $83,912.

Warren saw its state valuation increase from $120.6 million to $136.8 million, and its county tax increase from $116,500 to $128,045.

Municipalities welcome a drop in state valuation because of the role it plays in state funding formulas, including education subsidy. The higher the valuation, the lower the subsidy. Coastal communities have been complaining for decades that state valuations are too high.

Camden remained at the top of the county in state valuation and in county taxes. Camden’s state valuation dropped from $482.4 million to $471.7 million, which generated a drop in the county bill from $465,998 to $441,558.

Rockland’s state valuation also decreased, from $381.5 million to $364 million, and the county tax bill dropped from $368,577 to $340,704.

Third in valuation is Rockport at $330 million, down from $338 million last year. Rockport’s county tax dropped from $326,943 to $309,395.

St. George is fourth in valuation with an increase from $297 million to $305 million, but the county tax dropped slightly from $287,192 to $286,077. The increase in valuation will aggravate funding problems that the town has in the SAD 50 school system. St. George residents complain they pay too high a share of school district expenses.

Vinalhaven’s valuation went down from $187.9 million to $183 million, and county assessment also dropped, from $181,560 to $172,130.

Owls Head had a valuation decrease from $148 million to $144 million and a drop in county taxes from $143,016 to $135,205.

Thomaston’s valuation dropped more than $10 million from $141.5 million to $130.8 million, and the county tax bill dropped from $136,689 to $122,429.

Friendship experienced a slight valuation drop from $111.8 million to $111.5 million, and county assessment dropped $107,999 to $104,411.

Cushing’s state valuation of $87.8 million increased to $90.2 million, but the county assessment dropped from $84,815 to $84,427.

South Thomaston’s valuation went from $83.4 million to $83 million and county taxes dropped from $80,613 to $77,688.

Washington’s valuation dropped slightly from $60 million to $59 million, and county taxes dropped from $58,008 to $55,271.

Hope’s valuation dropped slightly from $60.1 million to $60 million, and its county assessment dropped from $58,105 to $56,207.

Isle au Haut’s valuation remained at $14 million, and the county assessment decreased slightly from $13,572 to $13,151.

Matinicus Isle Plantation’s state valuation dropped from $8.2 million to $7.5 million and the county tax bill went from $7,921 to $7,020, which is the county’s smallest bill.