Highest effective rate
1.88%
New Jersey and Illinois
Mortgage affordability calculator
🇺🇸Tax Foundation 2026 · Census 2024
2026 Property Tax Rates by State
Compare effective property tax rates for all 50 states and Washington, DC—including rankings, annual estimates, CA vs TX corridors, and homeowner guidance based on Tax Foundation / ACS 2024 data.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
1.88%
Highest (NJ & IL)
0.9%
US avg (50 states)
0.29%
Lowest (Hawaii)
51
States + DC covered
Key finding
At-a-glance summary
In the Tax Foundation 2026 effective-rate table (ACS 2024), New Jersey and Illinois top the list at 1.88%, while Hawaii is lowest at 0.29%. On a $500,000 home that gap is about $7,950 per year before local assessments and exemptions. The unweighted average of the 50 statewide rates in this table is 0.9%.
Updated 2026-08-07 · Tax Foundation 2026 (ACS 2024) · paychecktaxcalculator.net/property-tax-by-state
Property tax quick facts
US 50-state average
0.9%
Owner-occupied housing
Lowest effective rate
0.29%
Hawaii
Key takeaways
- New Jersey and Illinois tie at 1.88% — the highest statewide effective rates in the 2026 Tax Foundation table.
- Hawaii is lowest at 0.29%; Alabama follows at 0.37%.
- Each 1% of effective rate ≈ $1,000 per year per $100,000 of home value (so 1.4% on $500k ≈ $7,000).
- California (0.7%) looks far cheaper than Texas (1.4%) on the statewide benchmark — Prop 13 and sale-triggered reassessment can reverse that for recent buyers.
- Effective rates are ACS aggregates for owner-occupied housing, not your parcel’s millage. Always confirm the local assessor record before buying.
Head-to-head
Compare property taxes between two states
Choose any two states for effective-rate differences, annual and monthly estimates, homeowner guidance, and local-rate caveats.
Compare any two states
Effective rates, annual estimates, monthly cost, and homeowner caveats.
All states + DC
2026 effective property tax rates by state
Effective rates compare real estate taxes paid with owner-occupied housing value (Tax Foundation / ACS 2024). They are standardized state benchmarks—not the exact local levy on a specific home.
| Rank | State | Effective rate | Per $100k | $300k annual | $300k monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Illinois | 1.88% | $1,880 | $5,640 | $470 |
| #1 |  New Jersey | 1.88% | $1,880 | $5,640 | $470 |
| #3 |  Connecticut | 1.54% | $1,540 | $4,620 | $385 |
| #4 |  Vermont | 1.51% | $1,510 | $4,530 | $378 |
| #5 |  New Hampshire | 1.5% | $1,500 | $4,500 | $375 |
| #6 |  Nebraska | 1.44% | $1,440 | $4,320 | $360 |
| #7 |  Texas | 1.4% | $1,400 | $4,200 | $350 |
| #8 |  Ohio | 1.36% | $1,360 | $4,080 | $340 |
| #9 |  Iowa | 1.33% | $1,330 | $3,990 | $333 |
| #10 |  Wisconsin | 1.32% | $1,320 | $3,960 | $330 |
| #11 |  New York | 1.3% | $1,300 | $3,900 | $325 |
| #12 |  Pennsylvania | 1.26% | $1,260 | $3,780 | $315 |
| #13 |  Kansas | 1.21% | $1,210 | $3,630 | $303 |
| #14 |  Michigan | 1.19% | $1,190 | $3,570 | $298 |
| #15 |  Rhode Island | 1.12% | $1,120 | $3,360 | $280 |
| #16 |  Massachusetts | 1% | $1,000 | $3,000 | $250 |
| #16 |  Minnesota | 1% | $1,000 | $3,000 | $250 |
| #16 |  South Dakota | 1% | $1,000 | $3,000 | $250 |
| #19 |  Maine | 0.98% | $980 | $2,940 | $245 |
| #20 |  Alaska | 0.94% | $940 | $2,820 | $235 |
| #21 |  Maryland | 0.92% | $920 | $2,760 | $230 |
| #21 |  North Dakota | 0.92% | $920 | $2,760 | $230 |
| #23 |  Missouri | 0.89% | $890 | $2,670 | $223 |
| #24 |  Oregon | 0.81% | $810 | $2,430 | $203 |
| #25 |  Georgia | 0.79% | $790 | $2,370 | $198 |
| #25 |  Oklahoma | 0.79% | $790 | $2,370 | $198 |
| #27 |  Florida | 0.78% | $780 | $2,340 | $195 |
| #27 |  Virginia | 0.78% | $780 | $2,340 | $195 |
| #29 |  Indiana | 0.76% | $760 | $2,280 | $190 |
| #30 |  Washington | 0.75% | $750 | $2,250 | $188 |
| #31 |  Kentucky | 0.74% | $740 | $2,220 | $185 |
| #32 |  California | 0.7% | $700 | $2,100 | $175 |
| #33 |  North Carolina | 0.66% | $660 | $1,980 | $165 |
| #34 |  New Mexico | 0.63% | $630 | $1,890 | $158 |
| #35 |  Montana | 0.61% | $610 | $1,830 | $153 |
| #36 |  Mississippi | 0.58% | $580 | $1,740 | $145 |
| #37 |  Arkansas | 0.56% | $560 | $1,680 | $140 |
| #37 | District of Columbia | 0.56% | $560 | $1,680 | $140 |
| #39 |  Louisiana | 0.55% | $550 | $1,650 | $138 |
| #40 |  Delaware | 0.54% | $540 | $1,620 | $135 |
| #41 |  Wyoming | 0.53% | $530 | $1,590 | $133 |
| #42 |  Tennessee | 0.52% | $520 | $1,560 | $130 |
| #43 |  West Virginia | 0.51% | $510 | $1,530 | $128 |
| #44 |  Colorado | 0.5% | $500 | $1,500 | $125 |
| #44 |  Idaho | 0.5% | $500 | $1,500 | $125 |
| #44 |  Nevada | 0.5% | $500 | $1,500 | $125 |
| #47 |  South Carolina | 0.49% | $490 | $1,470 | $123 |
| #48 |  Arizona | 0.48% | $480 | $1,440 | $120 |
| #48 |  Utah | 0.48% | $480 | $1,440 | $120 |
| #50 |  Alabama | 0.37% | $370 | $1,110 | $93 |
| #51 |  Hawaii | 0.29% | $290 | $870 | $73 |
#1Illinois$5,640 / year on $300k1.88%$470/mo#1New Jersey$5,640 / year on $300k1.88%$470/mo#3Connecticut$4,620 / year on $300k1.54%$385/mo#4Vermont$4,530 / year on $300k1.51%$378/mo#5New Hampshire$4,500 / year on $300k1.5%$375/mo#6Nebraska$4,320 / year on $300k1.44%$360/mo#7Texas$4,200 / year on $300k1.4%$350/mo#8Ohio$4,080 / year on $300k1.36%$340/mo#9Iowa$3,990 / year on $300k1.33%$333/mo#10Wisconsin$3,960 / year on $300k1.32%$330/mo#11New York$3,900 / year on $300k1.3%$325/mo#12Pennsylvania$3,780 / year on $300k1.26%$315/mo#13Kansas$3,630 / year on $300k1.21%$303/mo#14Michigan$3,570 / year on $300k1.19%$298/mo#15Rhode Island$3,360 / year on $300k1.12%$280/mo#16Massachusetts$3,000 / year on $300k1%$250/mo#16Minnesota$3,000 / year on $300k1%$250/mo#16South Dakota$3,000 / year on $300k1%$250/mo#19Maine$2,940 / year on $300k0.98%$245/mo#20Alaska$2,820 / year on $300k0.94%$235/mo#21Maryland$2,760 / year on $300k0.92%$230/mo#21North Dakota$2,760 / year on $300k0.92%$230/mo#23Missouri$2,670 / year on $300k0.89%$223/mo#24Oregon$2,430 / year on $300k0.81%$203/mo#25Georgia$2,370 / year on $300k0.79%$198/mo#25Oklahoma$2,370 / year on $300k0.79%$198/mo#27Florida$2,340 / year on $300k0.78%$195/mo#27Virginia$2,340 / year on $300k0.78%$195/mo#29Indiana$2,280 / year on $300k0.76%$190/mo#30Washington$2,250 / year on $300k0.75%$188/mo#31Kentucky$2,220 / year on $300k0.74%$185/mo#32California$2,100 / year on $300k0.7%$175/mo#33North Carolina$1,980 / year on $300k0.66%$165/mo#34New Mexico$1,890 / year on $300k0.63%$158/mo#35Montana$1,830 / year on $300k0.61%$153/mo#36Mississippi$1,740 / year on $300k0.58%$145/mo#37Arkansas$1,680 / year on $300k0.56%$140/mo#37District of Columbia$1,680 / year on $300k0.56%$140/mo#39Louisiana$1,650 / year on $300k0.55%$138/mo#40Delaware$1,620 / year on $300k0.54%$135/mo#41Wyoming$1,590 / year on $300k0.53%$133/mo#42Tennessee$1,560 / year on $300k0.52%$130/mo#43West Virginia$1,530 / year on $300k0.51%$128/mo#44Colorado$1,500 / year on $300k0.5%$125/mo#44Idaho$1,500 / year on $300k0.5%$125/mo#44Nevada$1,500 / year on $300k0.5%$125/mo#47South Carolina$1,470 / year on $300k0.49%$123/mo#48Arizona$1,440 / year on $300k0.48%$120/mo#48Utah$1,440 / year on $300k0.48%$120/mo#50Alabama$1,110 / year on $300k0.37%$93/mo#51Hawaii$870 / year on $300k0.29%$73/mo
Illinois$5,640 / year on $300k1.88%$470/mo#1New Jersey$5,640 / year on $300k1.88%$470/mo#3Connecticut$4,620 / year on $300k1.54%$385/mo#4Vermont$4,530 / year on $300k1.51%$378/mo#5New Hampshire$4,500 / year on $300k1.5%$375/mo#6Nebraska$4,320 / year on $300k1.44%$360/mo#7Texas$4,200 / year on $300k1.4%$350/mo#8Ohio$4,080 / year on $300k1.36%$340/mo#9Iowa$3,990 / year on $300k1.33%$333/mo#10Wisconsin$3,960 / year on $300k1.32%$330/mo#11New York$3,900 / year on $300k1.3%$325/mo#12Pennsylvania$3,780 / year on $300k1.26%$315/mo#13Kansas$3,630 / year on $300k1.21%$303/mo#14Michigan$3,570 / year on $300k1.19%$298/mo#15Rhode Island$3,360 / year on $300k1.12%$280/mo#16Massachusetts$3,000 / year on $300k1%$250/mo#16Minnesota$3,000 / year on $300k1%$250/mo#16South Dakota$3,000 / year on $300k1%$250/mo#19Maine$2,940 / year on $300k0.98%$245/mo#20Alaska$2,820 / year on $300k0.94%$235/mo#21Maryland$2,760 / year on $300k0.92%$230/mo#21North Dakota$2,760 / year on $300k0.92%$230/mo#23Missouri$2,670 / year on $300k0.89%$223/mo#24Oregon$2,430 / year on $300k0.81%$203/mo#25Georgia$2,370 / year on $300k0.79%$198/mo#25Oklahoma$2,370 / year on $300k0.79%$198/mo#27Florida$2,340 / year on $300k0.78%$195/mo#27Virginia$2,340 / year on $300k0.78%$195/mo#29Indiana$2,280 / year on $300k0.76%$190/mo#30Washington$2,250 / year on $300k0.75%$188/mo#31Kentucky$2,220 / year on $300k0.74%$185/mo#32California$2,100 / year on $300k0.7%$175/mo#33North Carolina$1,980 / year on $300k0.66%$165/mo#34New Mexico$1,890 / year on $300k0.63%$158/mo#35Montana$1,830 / year on $300k0.61%$153/mo#36Mississippi$1,740 / year on $300k0.58%$145/mo#37Arkansas$1,680 / year on $300k0.56%$140/mo#37District of Columbia$1,680 / year on $300k0.56%$140/mo#39Louisiana$1,650 / year on $300k0.55%$138/mo#40Delaware$1,620 / year on $300k0.54%$135/mo#41Wyoming$1,590 / year on $300k0.53%$133/mo#42Tennessee$1,560 / year on $300k0.52%$130/mo#43West Virginia$1,530 / year on $300k0.51%$128/mo#44Colorado$1,500 / year on $300k0.5%$125/mo#44Idaho$1,500 / year on $300k0.5%$125/mo#44Nevada$1,500 / year on $300k0.5%$125/mo#47South Carolina$1,470 / year on $300k0.49%$123/mo#48Arizona$1,440 / year on $300k0.48%$120/mo#48Utah$1,440 / year on $300k0.48%$120/mo#50Alabama$1,110 / year on $300k0.37%$93/mo#51Hawaii$870 / year on $300k0.29%$73/moRate leaders
Highest and lowest property tax states
10 highest effective rates
10 lowest effective rates
Popular corridors
California vs Texas
California 0.7% vs Texas 1.4% — about $3,500/year on a $500k home at statewide rates. Texas has no state income tax but leans on property tax for schools; California Prop 13 can keep long-held homes far below the statewide average.
Open pair comparison →New Jersey vs Hawaii
Highest vs lowest effective rates (1.88% vs 0.29%). Modeled annual gap on $500k ≈ $7,950. Hawaii’s low rate still produces material bills when home values are high.
Open pair comparison →New York vs Florida
New York 1.3% vs Florida 0.78%. Florida’s homestead assessment caps often mean a buyer’s first bill resets higher than the seller’s last bill — always model post-sale taxable value.
Open pair comparison →Illinois vs Indiana
Illinois ties for the nation’s highest effective rate at 1.88%; Indiana is 0.76%. Popular Midwest relocation corridor for homeowners watching the annual levy line.
Open pair comparison →Worked examples on a $400,000 home
Same home value, different statewide effective rates — planning estimates before exemptions and local assessment rules.
New Jersey (1.88%)
≈ $7,520/year · $627/month
US 50-state avg (0.9%)
≈ $3,600/year · $300/month
Texas (1.4%)
≈ $5,600/year · $467/month
Hawaii (0.29%)
≈ $1,160/year · $97/month
Homeowner estimates
How effective rates translate into dollars
Each 1% equals $1,000 annually per $100,000 of home value. These examples use the 0.9% unweighted average of the 50 statewide rates before exemptions.
$200,000 home at 50-state avg
$1,800
$150 per month
$300,000 home at 50-state avg
$2,700
$225 per month
$500,000 home at 50-state avg
$4,500
$375 per month
$750,000 home at 50-state avg
$6,750
$563 per month
How effective property tax rates work
Effective rate ≈ property taxes paid ÷ owner-occupied home value (ACS)
Statutory millage and assessment ratios are not comparable across states. A 20-mill levy on 50% assessed value is not the same burden as 20 mills on 100% of market value.
Effective rates solve that by dividing real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied housing value in Census ACS data. The Tax Foundation publishes the resulting state (and county) benchmarks each year.
Use the statewide rate for relocation screening and the county/parcel record for underwriting. Homestead caps, Prop 13-style assessment limits, and investor classifications can make your bill diverge sharply from the state average.
- 1
Start from ACS taxes paid ÷ home value
Tax Foundation 2026 effective rates use Census ACS 2024 owner-occupied housing data so millage systems become comparable.
- 2
Rank all 50 states + DC
Highest effective rate = rank #1. Tied rates share a dense rank (e.g. New Jersey and Illinois both #1 at 1.88%).
- 3
Translate rates into dollars
Annual tax ≈ home value × (effective rate ÷ 100). Monthly ≈ annual ÷ 12. Same helper powers this hub and the property tax calculator.
- 4
Layer local reality
Confirm parcel assessment, district levies, exemptions, and whether purchase resets taxable value before treating the statewide rate as a bill.
Effective rate vs. millage
Effective rates normalize taxes paid against home value. Millage applies to assessed value and is not directly comparable across states.
Exemptions and assessment caps
Homestead, senior, veteran, disability, and agricultural programs can reduce taxable value or limit annual increases. Sales often reset caps.
Estimate before buying
Check the parcel record, likely post-sale assessment, current local levies, and exemptions you can actually claim.
Planning tips for buyers and movers
Model the buyer’s bill, not the seller’s
Homestead caps and Prop 13-style limits often reset at sale. Ask the assessor what taxable value will be after closing.
Check school and special districts
Statewide averages hide county and ISD outliers. A low-tax state can still have high-levy suburbs.
Stack income tax with property tax
No-income-tax states (TX, FL, NH, TN, etc.) often lean more on property and sales tax. Compare total household burden, not one levy.
Confirm exemption eligibility
Senior, veteran, disability, and homestead programs have filing deadlines. Missing a form can erase thousands of dollars of relief.
Budget for annual levy changes
Local governments reset millage yearly. A 2–4% annual increase assumption is a common conservative planning practice.
Use escrow as a forecast, not a guarantee
Mortgage escrow estimates can under- or over-collect. Review the first full tax year after purchase.
Glossary
- Effective property tax rate
- Property taxes paid divided by owner-occupied home value (ACS), expressed as a percent. Used to compare states when millage and assessment ratios differ.
- Millage / mill rate
- Statutory rate applied to assessed or taxable value. One mill is $1 per $1,000 of taxable value. Not directly comparable across states.
- Assessed value
- The value the assessor uses after ratios, classifications, and caps. Often differs from market (appraised) value.
- Homestead exemption
- Owner-occupant relief that reduces taxable value or tax due. Often unavailable to investors and may reset after a sale.
- Assessment cap / Prop 13-style limit
- Rules that limit how fast taxable value can rise for continuing owners (e.g. California Prop 13). Sales often reset value toward market.
- SALT deduction
- Federal itemized deduction for state and local taxes, including qualifying real property tax, subject to an annual cap under current law.
Limitations
- Statewide effective rates are ACS aggregates for owner-occupied housing — not millage schedules for a specific parcel.
- Investor / second-home classifications can face higher assessment ratios or lose homestead relief (e.g. South Carolina).
- Sale-triggered reassessment and assessment caps can make a new owner’s bill differ from the prior owner’s.
- Median bills also depend on home values; Hawaii’s low rate does not mean the lowest dollar taxes everywhere.
- District of Columbia is included at 0.56% for completeness; some Tax Foundation 50-state table presentations omit or approximate DC separately from the states.
- The 0.90% US benchmark on this hub is the unweighted mean of the 50 statewide rates — not a separate Tax Foundation national row (population-weighted ACS figures elsewhere can differ).
- Facts & Figures Table 33 is a related Tax Foundation series with different figures — this hub follows the county-map / ACS effective-rate release.
Personal property tax calculator
Enter your home value, pick a statewide effective rate (or a custom %), and optionally add assessment ratio and homestead exemption dollars for annual, monthly, and multi-year estimates.
Open property tax calculatorProperty tax by state FAQs
New Jersey and Illinois are tied at 1.88% in the Tax Foundation 2026 table (ACS 2024) — about $1,880 per year per $100,000 of owner-occupied home value.
Hawaii has the lowest effective rate at 0.29%, followed by Alabama at 0.37%. Low rates on expensive homes can still mean sizable dollar bills.
Usually not as one statewide rate. Local governments, school districts, and special districts set levies, while state laws govern assessment ratios, caps, and exemptions.
It is property taxes paid as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value (ACS). This creates a comparable benchmark across different assessment systems and millage formulas.
A 1% effective rate equals about $1,000 annually per $100,000 of home value, or $5,000 on a $500,000 home.
On a $500,000 home, the modeled annual gap between New Jersey (1.88%) and Hawaii (0.29%) is about $7,950 before local assessment rules and exemptions.
California’s statewide effective rate is 0.7%; Texas is 1.4%. On a $500,000 home that is about $3,500 vs $7,000 per year — but California Prop 13 can make long-held homes pay far less than recent buyers.
Local millage, assessed value, classification, exemptions, tax caps, appeals, and reassessment dates all affect the final bill. Investor or second homes may lose homestead relief.
Renters generally do not receive a property tax bill, but landlords may incorporate property-tax costs into rent.
Qualifying state and local taxes (including real property tax) may be itemized on Schedule A, subject to the federal SALT deduction limit. A deduction reduces taxable income; it does not lower the bill itself. Confirm current IRS rules.
Millage (mills) is the statutory rate applied to assessed/taxable value. Effective rate divides taxes actually paid by market value — the only fair cross-state comparison when assessment ratios differ.
Statewide effective rates already reflect taxes paid after common owner-occupied relief in ACS aggregates. Your personal homestead, senior, veteran, or disability exemption can still move your bill below (or a post-sale reset can move it above) the benchmark.
The rates use the Tax Foundation 2026 “Property Taxes by State and County” comparison, based on 2024 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey housing data. They are not Facts & Figures Table 33 (a related but not identical series).
Pull the parcel record, confirm whether sale triggers reassessment, add current district levies, and verify which exemptions you can claim. Use this site’s property tax calculator for a planning estimate, then confirm with the local assessor.