The typical US homeowner pays $3,119 in property tax: what the latest Census figures show

A state-by-state and county-by-county look at the newest five-year Census survey: who pays the most, who pays the least, and how heavy the bill is against income.

The typical American homeowner pays $3,119 a year in property tax, according to the most recent five-year estimates from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, which cover 2020 through 2024. Measured against the median owner-occupied home, worth $332,700, that is an effective rate of about 0.94%.

Those national numbers hide enormous differences. Across the 50 states and DC, typical bills range from under $800 to nearly $9,600, and across counties the spread runs from under $200 to more than $10,000.

The states

New Jersey remains the highest-tax state for homeowners by every measure. The typical bill is $9,590, the typical effective rate is 2.11%, and the bill equals about 9.3% of median household income. Illinois has the second-highest rate at 2.01%, followed by Connecticut (1.81%), New Hampshire (1.66%), Vermont (1.59%) and New York (1.55%).

Hawaii has the lowest rate at 0.27%, but because its homes are the most expensive in the country, its typical bill of $2,239 is not the smallest. Alabama has both a low rate (0.38%) and the smallest typical bill, $788 a year. West Virginia ($865), Arkansas ($1,040), Louisiana ($1,180) and Mississippi ($1,215) also have bills well under half the national figure.

The counties

Among large counties, those with more than 50,000 owner households, the highest typical rates are in South Jersey and upstate New York. Camden County, New Jersey, has a rate of about 2.83%, followed by Monroe County, New York (2.63%), Gloucester County, New Jersey (2.60%), and Lake County, Illinois (2.58%).

The lowest rates among large counties are in Hawaii and the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the South. Hawaii County and Honolulu County both sit near 0.28%. Baldwin County, Alabama, is about 0.30%, and Sussex County, Delaware, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, and Horry County, South Carolina, are all close to 0.32% or 0.33%.

Against income

The share of income test shows where bills are hardest to carry. Nationally, the typical bill equals a little under 4% of median household income. In Essex County, New Jersey, it is more than 12%. In Passaic County, New Jersey, and the Bronx, it is above 11%. At the state level, Alabama is lightest at about 1.2%.

What the numbers are and are not

These figures describe what homeowners report paying, not the rates set by local governments, and they blend five years of survey answers. That makes them a good tool for comparing places but slow to reflect brand-new changes, such as Florida’s homestead expansion approved this week or rate changes adopted this fall. The Census releases a fresh set each December, and every county and state page on this site is updated then.

Common questions

What is the average property tax in the US? The typical homeowner pays $3,119 a year, about 0.94% of a median home worth $332,700.

Which state has the highest property tax? New Jersey, with a typical bill of $9,590 and a rate of 2.11%.

Which state has the lowest? Hawaii has the lowest rate, 0.27%. Alabama has the smallest typical bill, $788.

How often is this data updated? The Census releases new five-year estimates each December.