3 Things We Can Learn about Property Taxes from a Map

Our interactive map of property taxes in your county looks at average property tax, average home value, and property tax as a share of home value, at the county level nationwide.* Here are three main takeaways from the map:

1. Property taxes paid, in dollars terms, are highest in the coasts and around inland cities

In general, property taxes paid are highest on the coasts and around inland cities, especially Chicago and cities in Texas. Nationwide, counties near New York City tend to have the highest property taxes paid, led by Westchester County with an average property tax of $9,647.

2. Property taxes paid, as a share of housing value, are highest in the Midwest and Northeast

When property taxes are expressed as a share of home prices, the distribution looks very different than when the burden is expressed in dollar terms. When expressed as a share of home price, the low home prices in the Midwest raise the property tax burden while the high home prices on the West Coast lower the relative property tax burden.

3. States without income taxes tend to have higher property taxes

The states with no or limited income taxes—Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming—tended to have higher property taxes in dollar terms. However, the pattern is not always clear cut, with some states—such as California and Illinois—having both an income tax and relatively high property tax burdens.

See the full set of the tax maps here »

*Data are from 2007-2011.