Average property tax rates by state, ranked
Property taxes are hyper-local: a single “state average” will never replace a parcel-specific bill. What you can do responsibly is compare jurisdictions on a disclosed benchmark—then layer in school finance and governance context from primary sources. Below, we rank states using the same implied effective rates published on Rate Gazetteer county pages, averaged within each state. We pair that with National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) figures for how much of each state’s public K-12 revenue came from local property taxes in school year 2020–21—useful for understanding incentives and funding mixes, distinct from how any one tax bill is split among line items.
Key takeaways
- This ranking uses 3,143 county-level rows in our public dataset (50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia with coverage).
- State averages use a population-weighted mean when every county row in that state includes population; if any county is missing population, we use an unweighted mean of counties so no jurisdiction is dropped from the average.
- For 44 states plus D.C., county figures come from U.S. Census ACS median property tax and median owner-occupied home value—so the published effective rate is already median tax ÷ median value and is directly comparable across that whole cohort (including New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, Texas, etc.).
- Six states use other primary sources (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida). Before averaging, those rows are adjusted with the same market-comparable rules as our state hubs—e.g. Arkansas and Arizona use modeled tax ÷ $350,000 (Arizona applies ADOR $/100 to Class 3 net assessed = 10% of that LPV); Florida × 0.72; California × 0.58. Those factors are illustrative bridges between assessed or taxable benchmarks and a rough market-value interpretive band (not parcel-specific appraisals); we document how we chose them in methodology — orientation factors.
- ACS-based states summarize reported median burdens from the Census; modeled states summarize estimated burdens under standardized assumptions. Rankings stay useful for orientation, but the two cohorts are not the same instrument. See methodology — ACS vs. modeled.
- NCES percentages measure school finance—not the allocation of your property tax dollars across schools, sheriff, fire, and other funds.
- Always verify against a notice, bill, or local office before making purchase or filing decisions (methodology).
What the “average rate” is (and is not)
Each Rate Gazetteer county page publishes an implied effective rate on whatever benchmark that page discloses (median owner-occupied value, taxable assessed value, etc.). You cannot safely average those raw percentages across states when some jurisdictions quote % of assessed value and others quote % of market or survey median value—that was inflating states like Arizona and Arkansas in an earlier version of this article.
Census ACS counties (most states): we use each county’s published effective rate as-is. It is already the implied burden of median annual property taxes relative to median owner-occupied home value for that county’s survey vintage—so New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, and other ACS states sit in one internally consistent band. Population-weighted means of those county rates can place Connecticut slightly above New Jersey by a few hundredths of a percentage point in our current file. That ordering is not stable if you switch to statewide aggregates, a different ACS vintage (Connecticut counties here use the 2021 county median file; New Jersey uses 2023), median vs. mean construction, or population vs. housing-unit weights. Many national lists rank New Jersey first for good reasons under their definitions—compare notes before treating #1 as settled fact.
Non-ACS modeled states: we apply the same conversions as Rate Gazetteer state hub averages—Arkansas (tax ÷ $350,000 market illustration), Arizona (same denominator after ADOR $/100 × Class 3 net assessed), Florida (millage on taxable benchmark × 0.72 to approximate taxable vs. market), California (BOE % of net taxable assessed × 0.58 for a rough market comparison). Alaska and Alabama follow the county page semantics without extra scaling where the model already aligns with market or statutory benchmarks. Why those three multipliers exist (and why they are illustrative, not parcel-exact) is spelled out on the methodology page.
Blending ACS medians with modeled benchmarks in one ranking is a practical compromise: it keeps the table from comparing Arizona’s “percent of assessed LPV” directly to New Jersey’s “percent of median home value,” but it does not erase the conceptual gap between survey rollups and primary-source models. Use the ranking as orientation, not as proof that two states were measured by the same instrument.
This is not a median tax bill, a tax-cap projection, or a replacement for reading your assessor’s worksheet. It is a transparent aggregation—useful for orientation and cross-state ranking, not for escrow precision.
Ranked table: mean comparable effective rate by state
Highest average first. K-12 (property) is NCES Table 235.20: percent of total public elementary and secondary revenue from local property taxes, school year 2020–21. A dagger (†) marks Vermont, where that table reports 0% for this line—not a claim that the state collects no property tax for schools (see the NCES section below).
| Rank | State / DC | Mean comparable rate | Counties | K-12 (property) % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | 2.12% | 8 | 57.3% |
| 2 | New Jersey | 2.11% | 21 | 47.1% |
| 3 | Illinois | 2.10% | 102 | 46.5% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1.80% | 10 | 60.6% |
| 5 | Vermont | 1.73% | 14 | 0.0%† |
| 6 | Texas | 1.62% | 254 | 46.7% |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 1.56% | 72 | 39.6% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1.55% | 93 | 48.1% |
| 9 | New York | 1.53% | 62 | 50.4% |
| 10 | Iowa | 1.48% | 99 | 33.0% |
| 11 | Ohio | 1.43% | 88 | 42.3% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 1.38% | 67 | 43.2% |
| 13 | Michigan | 1.35% | 83 | 27.0% |
| 14 | Kansas | 1.35% | 105 | 17.2% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1.32% | 5 | 46.0% |
| 16 | Florida | 1.21% | 67 | 39.0% |
| 17 | Maine | 1.12% | 16 | 45.5% |
| 18 | South Dakota | 1.12% | 66 | 43.4% |
| 19 | Massachusetts | 1.11% | 14 | 51.7% |
| 20 | Arizona | 1.08% | 15 | 28.3% |
| 21 | Minnesota | 1.05% | 87 | 19.7% |
| 22 | Maryland | 1.04% | 24 | 24.2% |
| 23 | Arkansas | 1.02% | 75 | 32.9% |
| 24 | North Dakota | 1.01% | 53 | 25.1% |
| 25 | Missouri | 0.92% | 115 | 46.7% |
| 26 | Georgia | 0.86% | 159 | 30.0% |
| 27 | Oklahoma | 0.84% | 77 | 30.9% |
| 28 | Oregon | 0.84% | 36 | 32.4% |
| 29 | Washington | 0.83% | 39 | 21.8% |
| 30 | Virginia | 0.80% | 133 | 27.7% |
| 31 | Alaska | 0.80% | 30 | 11.1% |
| 32 | Kentucky | 0.78% | 120 | 26.2% |
| 33 | Indiana | 0.77% | 92 | 26.5% |
| 34 | Montana | 0.77% | 56 | 28.0% |
| 35 | New Mexico | 0.75% | 33 | 14.4% |
| 36 | Mississippi | 0.74% | 82 | 29.8% |
| 37 | North Carolina | 0.73% | 100 | 23.0% |
| 38 | California | 0.67% | 58 | 27.2% |
| 39 | Tennessee | 0.59% | 95 | 19.3% |
| 40 | Delaware | 0.58% | 3 | 27.6% |
| 41 | Washington, DC | 0.58% | 1 | 30.3% |
| 42 | Wyoming | 0.57% | 23 | 27.5% |
| 43 | Idaho | 0.55% | 44 | 18.3% |
| 44 | West Virginia | 0.54% | 55 | 31.7% |
| 45 | Louisiana | 0.53% | 64 | 19.2% |
| 46 | Utah | 0.52% | 29 | 29.4% |
| 47 | South Carolina | 0.51% | 46 | 31.9% |
| 48 | Nevada | 0.49% | 17 | 25.4% |
| 49 | Colorado | 0.48% | 64 | 44.7% |
| 50 | Alabama | 0.35% | 67 | 15.1% |
| 51 | Hawaii | 0.27% | 5 | 0.6% |
School finance context: NCES property tax share
The "K-12 (property) %" column comes from NCES Digest of Education Statistics, Table 235.20 (school year 2020–21). It answers: what fraction of all public K-12 operating revenue in that state was raised from local property taxes? In high–property-tax states for schools (for example New Hampshire and Connecticut in that table), that share tends to be larger; in states where the state government funds a greater share of education from non-property sources, it tends to be smaller. This is not the same question as "what percentage of my property tax bill goes to schools," which is decided locally by millage and district boundaries.
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), “National Public Education Financial Survey,” school year 2020-21, Table 235.20 (August 2023).
Vermont (0.0% in the table). NCES Table 235.20 for school year 2020–21 shows no share of total K–12 revenue attributed to local property taxes in the way that column is defined. Vermont finances education in part through a statewide education property tax and related mechanisms; dollars still come from property owners, but NCES may classify them outside the “local property tax” line that other states report. The 0% figure is a reporting artifact in that table, not an assertion that Vermont has no school-related property tax burden.
State-by-state notes
Each entry: our mean market-comparable effective rate for that state’s counties (see methodology above), the NCES school-finance statistic, then the lowest and highest comparable rates among indexed counties in that state. Follow the state hub for sortable counties and primary citations.
1. Connecticut
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 8 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 2.12% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Connecticut state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 57.3% of Connecticut's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Connecticut (indexed counties): Windham County, Connecticut at 1.81%.
Highest comparable rate in Connecticut (indexed counties): Hartford County, Connecticut at 2.37%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
2. New Jersey
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 21 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 2.11% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the New Jersey state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 47.1% of New Jersey's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in New Jersey (indexed counties): Cape May County, New Jersey at 1.32%.
Highest comparable rate in New Jersey (indexed counties): Camden County, New Jersey at 3.08%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
3. Illinois
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 102 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 2.10% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Illinois state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 46.5% of Illinois's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Illinois (indexed counties): Pulaski County, Illinois at 0.82%.
Highest comparable rate in Illinois (indexed counties): Lake County, Illinois at 2.68%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
4. New Hampshire
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 10 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.80% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the New Hampshire state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 60.6% of New Hampshire's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in New Hampshire (indexed counties): Carroll County, New Hampshire at 1.06%.
Highest comparable rate in New Hampshire (indexed counties): Sullivan County, New Hampshire at 2.38%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
5. Vermont
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 14 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.73% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Vermont state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 0.0% of Vermont's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it. For Vermont, that 0% line reflects NCES classification (statewide education property tax and similar flows may sit outside the table's “local property tax” column)—see the Vermont NCES note above.
Lowest comparable rate in Vermont (indexed counties): Grand Isle County, Vermont at 1.35%.
Highest comparable rate in Vermont (indexed counties): Windsor County, Vermont at 1.98%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
6. Texas
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 254 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.62% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Texas state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 46.7% of Texas's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Texas (indexed counties): Crockett County, Texas at 0.33%.
Highest comparable rate in Texas (indexed counties): El Paso County, Texas at 2.09%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
7. Wisconsin
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 72 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.56% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Wisconsin state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 39.6% of Wisconsin's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Wisconsin (indexed counties): Vilas County, Wisconsin at 0.80%.
Highest comparable rate in Wisconsin (indexed counties): Menominee County, Wisconsin at 3.64%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
8. Nebraska
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 93 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.55% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Nebraska state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 48.1% of Nebraska's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Nebraska (indexed counties): Grant County, Nebraska at 0.75%.
Highest comparable rate in Nebraska (indexed counties): Sarpy County, Nebraska at 1.79%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
9. New York
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 62 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.53% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the New York state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 50.4% of New York's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in New York (indexed counties): Kings County, New York at 0.69%.
Highest comparable rate in New York (indexed counties): Orleans County, New York at 3.00%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
10. Iowa
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 99 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.48% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Iowa state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 33.0% of Iowa's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Iowa (indexed counties): Lyon County, Iowa at 0.92%.
Highest comparable rate in Iowa (indexed counties): Montgomery County, Iowa at 1.79%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
11. Ohio
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 88 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.43% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Ohio state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 42.3% of Ohio's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Ohio (indexed counties): Noble County, Ohio at 0.79%.
Highest comparable rate in Ohio (indexed counties): Cuyahoga County, Ohio at 2.08%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
12. Pennsylvania
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 67 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.38% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Pennsylvania state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 43.2% of Pennsylvania's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Pennsylvania (indexed counties): Bedford County, Pennsylvania at 0.81%.
Highest comparable rate in Pennsylvania (indexed counties): Delaware County, Pennsylvania at 1.98%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
13. Michigan
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 83 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.35% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Michigan state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 27.0% of Michigan's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Michigan (indexed counties): Leelanau County, Michigan at 0.70%.
Highest comparable rate in Michigan (indexed counties): Ingham County, Michigan at 1.86%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
14. Kansas
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 105 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.35% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Kansas state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 17.2% of Kansas's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Kansas (indexed counties): Nemaha County, Kansas at 0.98%.
Highest comparable rate in Kansas (indexed counties): Stanton County, Kansas at 2.47%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
15. Rhode Island
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 5 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.32% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Rhode Island state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 46.0% of Rhode Island's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Rhode Island (indexed counties): Newport County, Rhode Island at 0.95%.
Highest comparable rate in Rhode Island (indexed counties): Kent County, Rhode Island at 1.47%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
16. Florida
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 67 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.21% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Florida state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 39.0% of Florida's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Florida (indexed counties): Monroe County, Florida at 0.59%.
Highest comparable rate in Florida (indexed counties): Alachua County, Florida at 1.57%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
17. Maine
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 16 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.12% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Maine state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 45.5% of Maine's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Maine (indexed counties): Hancock County, Maine at 0.88%.
Highest comparable rate in Maine (indexed counties): tied at 1.26%: Androscoggin County, Maine; Penobscot County, Maine.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
18. South Dakota
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 66 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.12% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the South Dakota state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 43.4% of South Dakota's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in South Dakota (indexed counties): Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota at 0.44%.
Highest comparable rate in South Dakota (indexed counties): Todd County, South Dakota at 2.23%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
19. Massachusetts
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 14 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.11% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Massachusetts state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 51.7% of Massachusetts's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Massachusetts (indexed counties): Nantucket County, Massachusetts at 0.21%.
Highest comparable rate in Massachusetts (indexed counties): Hampden County, Massachusetts at 1.57%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
20. Arizona
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 15 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.08% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Arizona state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 28.3% of Arizona's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Arizona (indexed counties): Greenlee County, Arizona at 0.38%.
Highest comparable rate in Arizona (indexed counties): Santa Cruz County, Arizona at 1.36%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
21. Minnesota
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 87 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.05% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Minnesota state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 19.7% of Minnesota's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Minnesota (indexed counties): Aitkin County, Minnesota at 0.57%.
Highest comparable rate in Minnesota (indexed counties): Ramsey County, Minnesota at 1.24%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
22. Maryland
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 24 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.04% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Maryland state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 24.2% of Maryland's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Maryland (indexed counties): Talbot County, Maryland at 0.66%.
Highest comparable rate in Maryland (indexed counties): Baltimore City, Maryland at 1.48%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
23. Arkansas
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 75 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.02% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Arkansas state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 32.9% of Arkansas's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Arkansas (indexed counties): Scott County, Arkansas at 0.82%.
Highest comparable rate in Arkansas (indexed counties): Woodruff County, Arkansas at 1.19%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
24. North Dakota
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 53 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 1.01% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the North Dakota state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 25.1% of North Dakota's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in North Dakota (indexed counties): Billings County, North Dakota at 0.37%.
Highest comparable rate in North Dakota (indexed counties): Foster County, North Dakota at 1.28%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
25. Missouri
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 115 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.92% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Missouri state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 46.7% of Missouri's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Missouri (indexed counties): Wright County, Missouri at 0.38%.
Highest comparable rate in Missouri (indexed counties): St. Louis County, Missouri at 1.23%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
26. Georgia
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 159 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.86% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Georgia state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 30.0% of Georgia's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Georgia (indexed counties): Fannin County, Georgia at 0.35%.
Highest comparable rate in Georgia (indexed counties): Stewart County, Georgia at 1.71%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
27. Oklahoma
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 77 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.84% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Oklahoma state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 30.9% of Oklahoma's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Oklahoma (indexed counties): McCurtain County, Oklahoma at 0.40%.
Highest comparable rate in Oklahoma (indexed counties): Cleveland County, Oklahoma at 1.03%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
28. Oregon
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 36 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.84% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Oregon state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 32.4% of Oregon's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Oregon (indexed counties): Josephine County, Oregon at 0.53%.
Highest comparable rate in Oregon (indexed counties): Gilliam County, Oregon at 1.01%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
29. Washington
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 39 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.83% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Washington state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 21.8% of Washington's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Washington (indexed counties): San Juan County, Washington at 0.57%.
Highest comparable rate in Washington (indexed counties): Pierce County, Washington at 0.94%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
30. Virginia
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 133 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.80% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Virginia state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 27.7% of Virginia's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Virginia (indexed counties): Prince Edward County, Virginia at 0.40%.
Highest comparable rate in Virginia (indexed counties): Manassas Park City, Virginia at 1.14%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
31. Alaska
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 30 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.80% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Alaska state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 11.1% of Alaska's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Alaska (indexed counties): tied at 0.00%: Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska; Bethel Census Area, Alaska; Chugach Census Area, Alaska; Copper River Census Area, Alaska; Dillingham Census Area, Alaska; Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska; Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska; Nome Census Area, Alaska; Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska; Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska; Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska.
Highest comparable rate in Alaska (indexed counties): Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska at 1.15%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
32. Kentucky
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 120 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.78% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Kentucky state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 26.2% of Kentucky's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Kentucky (indexed counties): Rockcastle County, Kentucky at 0.48%.
Highest comparable rate in Kentucky (indexed counties): Campbell County, Kentucky at 1.06%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
33. Indiana
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 92 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.77% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Indiana state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 26.5% of Indiana's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Indiana (indexed counties): Switzerland County, Indiana at 0.41%.
Highest comparable rate in Indiana (indexed counties): Marion County, Indiana at 0.93%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
34. Montana
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 56 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.77% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Montana state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 28.0% of Montana's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Montana (indexed counties): Madison County, Montana at 0.41%.
Highest comparable rate in Montana (indexed counties): Blaine County, Montana at 1.52%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
35. New Mexico
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 33 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.75% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the New Mexico state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 14.4% of New Mexico's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in New Mexico (indexed counties): Taos County, New Mexico at 0.33%.
Highest comparable rate in New Mexico (indexed counties): McKinley County, New Mexico at 1.89%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
36. Mississippi
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 82 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.74% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Mississippi state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 29.8% of Mississippi's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Mississippi (indexed counties): Issaquena County, Mississippi at 0.35%.
Highest comparable rate in Mississippi (indexed counties): Coahoma County, Mississippi at 1.24%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
37. North Carolina
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 100 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.73% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the North Carolina state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 23.0% of North Carolina's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in North Carolina (indexed counties): Jackson County, North Carolina at 0.37%.
Highest comparable rate in North Carolina (indexed counties): Northampton County, North Carolina at 1.21%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
38. California
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 58 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.67% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the California state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 27.2% of California's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in California (indexed counties): tied at 0.58%: Modoc County, California; Sierra County, California.
Highest comparable rate in California (indexed counties): Kern County, California at 0.72%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
39. Tennessee
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 95 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.59% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Tennessee state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 19.3% of Tennessee's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Tennessee (indexed counties): Cumberland County, Tennessee at 0.31%.
Highest comparable rate in Tennessee (indexed counties): Shelby County, Tennessee at 1.03%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
40. Delaware
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 3 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.58% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Delaware state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 27.6% of Delaware's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Delaware (indexed counties): Sussex County, Delaware at 0.33%.
Highest comparable rate in Delaware (indexed counties): New Castle County, Delaware at 0.74%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
41. Washington, DC
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 1 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.58% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Washington, DC state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 30.3% of Washington, DC's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Washington, DC has only one county-level row in our public index right now, so the lowest and highest comparable effective rate are the same: 0.58% (District of Columbia, Washington, DC).
42. Wyoming
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 23 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.57% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Wyoming state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 27.5% of Wyoming's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Wyoming (indexed counties): Niobrara County, Wyoming at 0.38%.
Highest comparable rate in Wyoming (indexed counties): Washakie County, Wyoming at 0.70%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
43. Idaho
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 44 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.55% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Idaho state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 18.3% of Idaho's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Idaho (indexed counties): Clark County, Idaho at 0.29%.
Highest comparable rate in Idaho (indexed counties): Nez Perce County, Idaho at 0.87%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
44. West Virginia
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 55 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.54% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the West Virginia state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 31.7% of West Virginia's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in West Virginia (indexed counties): Summers County, West Virginia at 0.30%.
Highest comparable rate in West Virginia (indexed counties): Kanawha County, West Virginia at 0.68%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
45. Louisiana
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 64 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.53% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Louisiana state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 19.2% of Louisiana's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Louisiana (indexed counties): East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana at 0.15%.
Highest comparable rate in Louisiana (indexed counties): Orleans Parish, Louisiana at 0.82%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
46. Utah
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 29 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.52% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Utah state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 29.4% of Utah's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Utah (indexed counties): Rich County, Utah at 0.29%.
Highest comparable rate in Utah (indexed counties): San Juan County, Utah at 0.84%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
47. South Carolina
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 46 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.51% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the South Carolina state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 31.9% of South Carolina's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in South Carolina (indexed counties): Horry County, South Carolina at 0.34%.
Highest comparable rate in South Carolina (indexed counties): Allendale County, South Carolina at 0.88%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
48. Nevada
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 17 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.49% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Nevada state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 25.4% of Nevada's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Nevada (indexed counties): Storey County, Nevada at 0.40%.
Highest comparable rate in Nevada (indexed counties): Mineral County, Nevada at 0.70%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
49. Colorado
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 64 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.48% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Colorado state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 44.7% of Colorado's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Colorado (indexed counties): Jackson County, Colorado at 0.20%.
Highest comparable rate in Colorado (indexed counties): Broomfield County, Colorado at 0.62%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
50. Alabama
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 67 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.35% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Alabama state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 15.1% of Alabama's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Alabama (indexed counties): Baldwin County, Alabama at 0.18%.
Highest comparable rate in Alabama (indexed counties): Mobile County, Alabama at 0.52%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
51. Hawaii
In Rate Gazetteer's dataset, the population-weighted mean across all 5 counties (each row includes population) produces a mean market-comparable effective rate of about 0.27% per year (using ACS figures directly where applicable, and non-ACS conversion rules from this article). Open the Hawaii state hub for county-level figures, sources, and caveats.
For public elementary and secondary education finance, NCES (2020–21) attributes about 0.6% of Hawaii's total K-12 revenue to local property taxes—a measure of how schools are funded, not a breakdown of every homeowner's bill. Property taxes also support counties, municipalities, and special districts outside this school-revenue accounting; see your county page for levy context where we publish it.
Lowest comparable rate in Hawaii (indexed counties): tied at 0.17%: Kalawao County, Hawaii; Maui County, Hawaii.
Highest comparable rate in Hawaii (indexed counties): Hawaii County, Hawaii at 0.29%.
Comparable rates use the same rules as the state average in this article (ACS medians where applicable; modeled states per methodology). They are for comparison—not your parcel's bill.
Frequently asked questions
Why do these state rankings differ from WalletHub, Tax Foundation, or other “highest property tax states” lists I’ve seen?
Different question, different math. National roundups often mix years, geographies (some use statewide fiscal data; others use owner-occupied housing surveys), and definitions—mean vs median, tax as percent of home value vs percent of income, or per capita property tax. This article ranks population-weighted mean county “comparable” effective rates from Rate Gazetteer’s published county rows: for most states that means U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) median annual property taxes ÷ median owner-occupied home value at the county level; for modeled states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida) we apply the same conversion rules described above, with documented orientation factors for Arizona, California, and Florida on our methodology page (see #orientation-factors and #acs-vs-modeled). Any list can disagree without anyone being “wrong”—compare methodology notes and data vintage before debating a few tenths of a percent.
What does “comparable effective rate” mean here—not the number on my county page?
County pages show the rate that matches that page’s benchmark (for example, median ÷ median for ACS counties, or millage on an assessed benchmark where we model from primary sources). For ranking across states, we sometimes rescale those published percentages so they sit in a single interpretive band (e.g. Arkansas’s $350k market illustration; Arizona’s assessed-to-market orientation factor). The state average and the low/high county callouts in this article all use that comparable layer so the table is less misleading than averaging raw, mixed-definition percentages. ACS states reflect survey-reported median burdens; modeled states reflect estimated burdens under our disclosed benchmarks and the orientation factors on our methodology page—both are useful for orientation, but they are not one identical measurement system end to end.
Why might Connecticut appear above New Jersey when some articles say New Jersey is #1?
Within rounding and survey noise, both sit at the top in our ACS-based county blend. Here we use population-weighted means of county-level rates, where each county rate is median annual property tax ÷ median owner-occupied home value (ACS). National listicles often use different years, statewide fiscal or survey aggregates, means instead of medians, housing-universe weights, or tax as a share of income—any of which can reorder #1 and #2. Connecticut’s county pages track ACS 2021 county medians (traditional counties); New Jersey uses ACS 2023 county medians in our dataset, so vintage alignment alone can shift a tight race. Treat #1 vs #2 as a tie band, not a definitive championship.
How often are the underlying county figures refreshed?
County pages carry last-verified dates and confidence labels per source. We refresh batches as we re-check primary materials (assessor sites, DOR tables, ACS releases). State averages on this page move whenever any included county row changes—there is no separate annual “freeze” unless noted on a specific article revision.
Can I use this page to appeal my assessment or plan escrow?
No. This is editorial reference material for comparison and orientation. Appeals, escrow, and payments depend on your parcel, your notice, and local offices—not on a national ranking or a county median from a survey.