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Several surveys have identified property taxes as the most hated form of taxation in the United States. Unpopular though they may be, property taxes — taxes on personal property like homes and real estate — are the single largest source of revenue for state and local governments in the United States.
Though they are often set by local authorities — including cities, counties, and school boards — state governments often establish parameters in order to keep property tax rates somewhat uniform. No two state tax codes are exactly alike, and how much people actually pay in property taxes depends largely on where they live.
Using data from tax policy research organization the Tax Foundation, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed total property tax payments as a share of total property value at the state level to identify the states with the highest (and lowest) property taxes. In some parts of the country, property taxes are so low as to be almost trivial. In others, however, they can be a major financial burden.
It is important to note that a low property tax rate does not necessarily mean a low overall tax burden. State and local governments need to meet their financial obligations one way or another, and a low effective property tax rate can often mean that other tax rates, like sales or income taxes, can be higher. These are the states where Americans are paying the most in taxes.
Even in high tax states, there are measures individuals can take to reduce the amount they have to pay to the federal government and state and local governments every April. Here are 17 investments and strategies to help lower your taxes.
Click here to see the states with the highest (and lowest) property taxes
Click here to read our methodology
50. Hawaii
> Effective property tax rate: 0.30%
> Median home value: $631,700 (the highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,140 (18th lowest)
> Median household income: $80,212 (3rd highest)
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49. Alabama
> Effective property tax rate: 0.37%
> Median home value: $147,900 (6th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $548 (the lowest)
> Median household income: $49,861 (6th lowest)
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48. Louisiana
> Effective property tax rate: 0.51%
> Median home value: $167,300 (14th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $887 (8th lowest)
> Median household income: $47,905 (5th lowest)
47. South Carolina
> Effective property tax rate: 0.52%
> Median home value: $170,800 (15th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,164 (20th lowest)
> Median household income: $52,306 (9th lowest)
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46. Colorado
> Effective property tax rate: 0.53%
> Median home value: $373,300 (4th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,425 (25th highest)
> Median household income: $71,953 (11th highest)
45. West Virginia
> Effective property tax rate: 0.54%
> Median home value: $121,300 (the lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $915 (9th lowest)
> Median household income: $44,097 (the lowest)
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44. Wyoming
> Effective property tax rate: 0.58%
> Median home value: $230,500 (24th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,393 (7th highest)
> Median household income: $61,584 (20th highest)
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43. Utah
> Effective property tax rate: 0.58%
> Median home value: $303,300 (10th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,019 (16th lowest)
> Median household income: $71,414 (12th highest)
42. Delaware
> Effective property tax rate: 0.58%
> Median home value: $255,300 (17th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $860 (7th lowest)
> Median household income: $64,805 (16th highest)
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41. Nevada
> Effective property tax rate: 0.60%
> Median home value: $292,200 (11th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $994 (15th lowest)
> Median household income: $58,646 (22nd lowest)
40. New Mexico
> Effective property tax rate: 0.62%
> Median home value: $174,700 (17th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $768 (4th lowest)
> Median household income: $47,169 (4th lowest)
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39. Mississippi
> Effective property tax rate: 0.62%
> Median home value: $123,300 (2nd lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $988 (14th lowest)
> Median household income: $44,717 (2nd lowest)
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38. Arkansas
> Effective property tax rate: 0.63%
> Median home value: $133,100 (3rd lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $712 (3rd lowest)
> Median household income: $47,062 (3rd lowest)
37. Arizona
> Effective property tax rate: 0.64%
> Median home value: $241,100 (19th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,062 (17th lowest)
> Median household income: $59,246 (24th lowest)
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36. Tennessee
> Effective property tax rate: 0.68%
> Median home value: $177,500 (18th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $836 (6th lowest)
> Median household income: $52,375 (10th lowest)
35. California
> Effective property tax rate: 0.70%
> Median home value: $546,800 (2nd highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,559 (17th highest)
> Median household income: $75,277 (6th highest)
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34. Idaho
> Effective property tax rate: 0.72%
> Median home value: $233,100 (21st highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $944 (10th lowest)
> Median household income: $55,583 (15th lowest)
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33. Montana
> Effective property tax rate: 0.73%
> Median home value: $249,200 (18th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,520 (20th highest)
> Median household income: $55,328 (13th lowest)
32. Kentucky
> Effective property tax rate: 0.79%
> Median home value: $148,100 (7th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $775 (5th lowest)
> Median household income: $50,247 (7th lowest)
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31. North Carolina
> Effective property tax rate: 0.81%
> Median home value: $180,600 (19th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $975 (13th lowest)
> Median household income: $53,855 (11th lowest)
30. Indiana
> Effective property tax rate: 0.82%
> Median home value: $147,300 (5th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $967 (11th lowest)
> Median household income: $55,746 (17th lowest)
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29. Virginia
> Effective property tax rate: 0.84%
> Median home value: $281,700 (12th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,545 (19th highest)
> Median household income: $72,577 (10th highest)
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28. Washington
> Effective property tax rate: 0.85%
> Median home value: $373,100 (5th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,436 (24th highest)
> Median household income: $74,073 (9th highest)
27. Oklahoma
> Effective property tax rate: 0.87%
> Median home value: $140,000 (4th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $699 (2nd lowest)
> Median household income: $51,924 (8th lowest)
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26. Georgia
> Effective property tax rate: 0.88%
> Median home value: $189,900 (23rd lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,159 (19th lowest)
> Median household income: $58,756 (23rd lowest)
25. Florida
> Effective property tax rate: 0.89%
> Median home value: $230,600 (23rd highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,263 (21st lowest)
> Median household income: $55,462 (14th lowest)
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24. North Dakota
> Effective property tax rate: 0.90%
> Median home value: $198,700 (25th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,296 (23rd lowest)
> Median household income: $63,837 (18th highest)
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23. Oregon
> Effective property tax rate: 0.91%
> Median home value: $341,800 (7th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,444 (23rd highest)
> Median household income: $63,426 (19th highest)
22. Missouri
> Effective property tax rate: 0.97%
> Median home value: $162,600 (13th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $971 (12th lowest)
> Median household income: $54,478 (12th lowest)
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21. Maryland
> Effective property tax rate: 1.00%
> Median home value: $324,800 (9th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,547 (18th highest)
> Median household income: $83,242 (the highest)
20. Alaska
> Effective property tax rate: 1.02%
> Median home value: $276,100 (14th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,047 (11th highest)
> Median household income: $74,346 (8th highest)
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19. Minnesota
> Effective property tax rate: 1.06%
> Median home value: $235,400 (20th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,567 (16th highest)
> Median household income: $70,315 (13th highest)
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18. Massachusetts
> Effective property tax rate: 1.10%
> Median home value: $400,700 (3rd highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,357 (8th highest)
> Median household income: $79,835 (4th highest)
17. South Dakota
> Effective property tax rate: 1.18%
> Median home value: $171,500 (16th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,394 (24th lowest)
> Median household income: $56,274 (19th lowest)
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16. Maine
> Effective property tax rate: 1.24%
> Median home value: $197,500 (24th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,105 (10th highest)
> Median household income: $55,602 (16th lowest)
15. Kansas
> Effective property tax rate: 1.28%
> Median home value: $159,400 (10th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,490 (21st highest)
> Median household income: $58,218 (21st lowest)
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14. New York
> Effective property tax rate: 1.32%
> Median home value: $325,500 (8th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,782 (4th highest)
> Median household income: $67,844 (14th highest)
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13. Michigan
> Effective property tax rate: 1.37%
> Median home value: $162,500 (12th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,413 (25th lowest)
> Median household income: $56,697 (20th lowest)
12. Rhode Island
> Effective property tax rate: 1.43%
> Median home value: $273,800 (15th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,415 (6th highest)
> Median household income: $64,340 (17th highest)
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11. Iowa
> Effective property tax rate: 1.46%
> Median home value: $152,000 (9th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,582 (15th highest)
> Median household income: $59,955 (25th highest)
10. Pennsylvania
> Effective property tax rate: 1.46%
> Median home value: $186,000 (21st lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,478 (22nd highest)
> Median household income: $60,905 (21st highest)
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9. Ohio
> Effective property tax rate: 1.54%
> Median home value: $151,100 (8th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,264 (22nd lowest)
> Median household income: $56,111 (18th lowest)
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8. Nebraska
> Effective property tax rate: 1.61%
> Median home value: $161,800 (11th lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,909 (12th highest)
> Median household income: $59,566 (25th lowest)
7. Texas
> Effective property tax rate: 1.62%
> Median home value: $186,000 (21st lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,762 (13th highest)
> Median household income: $60,629 (24th highest)
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6. Wisconsin
> Effective property tax rate: 1.63%
> Median home value: $188,500 (22nd lowest)
> Per capita property taxes: $1,629 (14th highest)
> Median household income: $60,773 (23rd highest)
5. Connecticut
> Effective property tax rate: 1.68%
> Median home value: $277,400 (13th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,927 (3rd highest)
> Median household income: $76,348 (5th highest)
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4. Vermont
> Effective property tax rate: 1.79%
> Median home value: $233,100 (21st highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,593 (5th highest)
> Median household income: $60,782 (22nd highest)
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3. New Hampshire
> Effective property tax rate: 1.94%
> Median home value: $270,000 (16th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $3,115 (2nd highest)
> Median household income: $74,991 (7th highest)
2. Illinois
> Effective property tax rate: 1.95%
> Median home value: $203,400 (25th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $2,120 (9th highest)
> Median household income: $65,030 (15th highest)
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1. New Jersey
> Effective property tax rate: 2.13%
> Median home value: $344,000 (6th highest)
> Per capita property taxes: $3,127 (the highest)
> Median household income: $81,740 (2nd highest)
Methodology
To determine the states with the highest and lowest property taxes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the effective property tax rate — the total amount of property taxes paid annually as a percentage of the total value of all occupied homes — for all 50 states, from tax policy research organization the Tax Foundation’s report “Facts & Figures 2019: How Does Your State Compare?” Data on effective property tax rates are for the 2017 calendar year, while data on state and local property tax collections per capita are for the 2016 fiscal year. Data on median home value and median household income came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey.
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