Property Taxes by State 2026

Property taxes are one of the ongoing costs of homeownership in the United States, and how much homeowners pay varies widely depending on where they live. Some states have relatively low property tax bills, while others place a much heavier burden on homeowners each year.

The table above shows property taxes by state using median annual property tax payments from 2023 and effective real estate property tax rates from 2024—the most recent data available as of early 2026. Together, these figures show both how much homeowners typically pay and how property tax rates vary across states.

States with the Highest and Lowest Property Taxes

Property tax burdens vary widely across the country, both in terms of tax rates and the dollar amounts homeowners actually pay each year. When measured by median annual property tax payments, a small group of states stands out for placing the highest costs on homeowners.

In 2023, New Jersey had the highest median property taxes in the country at $9,541, followed by Connecticut ($6,575), New Hampshire ($6,505), New York ($6,450), and Massachusetts ($5,813). These states tend to combine relatively high property tax rates with higher home values, resulting in larger annual tax bills for homeowners.

At the other end of the spectrum, several states had much lower median property taxes in 2023. Alabama had the lowest median property tax bill at $738, followed by West Virginia ($835), Arkansas ($1,003), Louisiana ($1,146), and Mississippi ($1,189). In these states, lower home values and comparatively modest tax rates help keep annual property tax costs down.

While most rankings focus on states, it’s worth noting that the District of Columbia, which is not a state, had a median property tax bill of $4,180 in 2023—placing it closer to higher-tax states despite having a relatively low effective tax rate.

Why Property Tax Rates Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Property tax rates alone don’t always reflect how much homeowners actually pay each year. A state can have a relatively low tax rate but still produce high tax bills if home values are high, while states with higher rates may collect less overall when home prices are lower.

Hawaii is a clear example of this gap. It has the lowest effective property tax rate in the country, yet its median property tax bill is not among the lowest because home values are much higher than in most states. On the other hand, New Jersey combines both high home values and a high effective tax rate, resulting in the highest median property taxes nationwide.

These differences help explain why comparing states requires looking at both rates and actual tax payments. The table above shows how the interaction between home values and tax rates ultimately determines what homeowners pay in property taxes each year.