Property Tax by State (2026)
Property tax by state ranges from about 0.27% in Hawaii to 2.11% in New Jersey for 2026, measured as the median effective rate (median tax paid divided by median home value, U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024). The US median is about 0.94%. The table below ranks all 51 jurisdictions by rate, with the median home value and median tax paid so you can compare the real dollar cost.
Which state has the highest property tax?
New Jersey, at a 2.11% median effective rate, followed by Illinois. Both exceed 2% of home value.
Which state has the lowest property tax?
Hawaii, at 0.27%, then Alabama. Low rates often pair with higher home values, so the dollar bill can still be sizeable.
What is the average property tax rate?
The US median effective rate is about 0.94% — roughly $3,119 a year on the $332,700 median home.
Does a low rate mean a low bill?
Not always. A low rate on an expensive home can cost more than a high rate on a cheap one. Compare the dollar column, not just the rate.
Which states have the highest and lowest property tax in 2026?
The table ranks all 51 jurisdictions by median effective property tax rate, highest first. It also shows each state's median home value and median tax paid, because a low rate on a costly home can still mean a high bill.
| Rank | State | Median effective rate | Median home value | Median tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | 2.11% | $454,400 | $9,590 |
| 2 | Illinois | 2.01% | $263,300 | $5,298 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 1.81% | $366,900 | $6,643 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1.66% | $402,500 | $6,667 |
| 5 | Vermont | 1.59% | $316,600 | $5,039 |
| 6 | New York | 1.55% | $423,800 | $6,582 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1.49% | $238,600 | $3,549 |
| 8 | Texas | 1.49% | $283,800 | $4,232 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 1.42% | $266,500 | $3,792 |
| 10 | Iowa | 1.39% | $208,000 | $2,897 |
| 11 | Ohio | 1.31% | $214,800 | $2,822 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 1.3% | $254,500 | $3,311 |
| 13 | Kansas | 1.29% | $217,200 | $2,798 |
| 14 | Michigan | 1.25% | $231,600 | $2,904 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1.21% | $404,200 | $4,900 |
| 16 | Alaska | 1.11% | $352,900 | $3,901 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 1.07% | $562,100 | $5,992 |
| 18 | South Dakota | 1.06% | $257,400 | $2,724 |
| 19 | Maine | 1.02% | $296,600 | $3,036 |
| 20 | Minnesota | 1.02% | $329,300 | $3,357 |
| 21 | North Dakota | 0.99% | $249,900 | $2,468 |
| 22 | Maryland | 0.97% | $419,900 | $4,093 |
| 23 | Missouri | 0.85% | $230,300 | $1,948 |
| 24 | Oregon | 0.81% | $477,600 | $3,876 |
| 25 | Washington | 0.81% | $564,600 | $4,556 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | 0.8% | $199,800 | $1,599 |
| 27 | Georgia | 0.77% | $303,300 | $2,341 |
| 28 | Florida | 0.76% | $359,000 | $2,730 |
| 29 | Kentucky | 0.75% | $205,600 | $1,544 |
| 30 | Indiana | 0.74% | $218,200 | $1,614 |
| 31 | Virginia | 0.73% | $383,700 | $2,790 |
| 32 | Mississippi | 0.72% | $169,800 | $1,215 |
| 33 | Montana | 0.72% | $375,800 | $2,693 |
| 34 | California | 0.7% | $734,700 | $5,124 |
| 35 | New Mexico | 0.7% | $248,100 | $1,731 |
| 36 | North Carolina | 0.66% | $288,900 | $1,896 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | 0.59% | $737,100 | $4,312 |
| 38 | Wyoming | 0.57% | $309,700 | $1,767 |
| 39 | Arkansas | 0.55% | $188,000 | $1,040 |
| 40 | Louisiana | 0.55% | $216,500 | $1,180 |
| 41 | West Virginia | 0.53% | $162,600 | $865 |
| 42 | Utah | 0.52% | $489,400 | $2,525 |
| 43 | Delaware | 0.5% | $352,000 | $1,768 |
| 44 | Tennessee | 0.5% | $286,700 | $1,442 |
| 45 | Idaho | 0.49% | $418,600 | $2,038 |
| 46 | Arizona | 0.48% | $394,500 | $1,879 |
| 47 | Colorado | 0.48% | $539,400 | $2,602 |
| 48 | South Carolina | 0.48% | $259,000 | $1,251 |
| 49 | Nevada | 0.47% | $435,400 | $2,027 |
| 50 | Alabama | 0.38% | $209,900 | $788 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 0.27% | $839,100 | $2,239 |
How is the effective property tax rate calculated?
- Take the median real-estate taxes paid in a state (Census ACS 2024).
- Take the median owner-occupied home value in that state.
- Divide the median tax by the median value to get the effective rate.
- Multiply your own home value by that rate for a quick estimate.
Does a low property tax rate always mean a low bill?
No. Hawaii has the lowest rate but high home values, so the median bill is not the smallest. A high-rate, low-value state like a Rust Belt market can have a lower dollar bill than a low-rate, high-value coastal one. Read the dollar columns together with the rate.
Why do property tax rates vary so much by state?
States that rely less on income or sales tax often lean more on property tax, and local school funding drives rates higher in parts of the Northeast and Midwest. Home values matter too: a state can keep a low rate because its homes are expensive. Local budgets, not a state schedule, set the final number.