A few years ago, when housing prices here in Austin kept climbing, the hubby and I hired a company to protest our annual real estate appraisal.
That assessment is used to calculate just how big our property tax bill will be.
Other factors, such as local tax rates and certain exemptions, also come into play. But if your house is deemed to be worth a whole lot of money, and you’re not planning on selling it for or near that amount, then a generous appraisal will cost you property tax dollars.
So, we hired a firm with time and experience to convince the county to lower our home’s eventual tax value. Most years, the professional protester has been successful, and even after paying for its services, we’ve saved money.
Property tax comparisons: We realize that our taxes go for services, most of which we use. And the bulk of the annual property tax bill is for our local school district. Even though we’re childfree, we appreciate the value of education.
We don’t begrudge paying taxes for those things. Heck, the local classes keep the kids occupied and our neighborhood peaceful during most days of the year! 😉
But we also don’t like overpaying, on taxes or anything. And here in Austin, as in most metropolitan areas, it seems like paying too-high property taxes is standard operating procedure.
How much too high? This weekend’s Saturday Shout Out provides an answer.
The Tax Foundation just issued its latest look at property taxes by state and county.
“Median property taxes paid vary widely across (and within) the 50 states,” notes Andrey Yushkov, Senior Policy Analyst with the Center for State Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation. “The average level of property taxes paid in 2022 across the United States was $1,815 (with a standard deviation of $1,388).”
Lowest median real estate taxes: The Tax Foundation research found that the lowest property tax bills in the country are in 10 counties or county equivalents in three states. They have median property taxes of less than $250 a year, and are in —
- Alaska: Northwest Arctic Borough, the Kusilvak Census Area, and the Copper River Census Area
- Louisiana: Allen, Avoyelles, Bienville, East Carroll, Madison, and West Carroll Parishes
- Alabama: Choctaw County
Another nine counties in Alabama, four counties in Louisiana, and one county each in New Mexico, North Dakota, and West Virginia all have median property taxes paid below $300.
Highest median real estate taxes: At the other end of the property tax spectrum, the Tax Foundation found 15 counties with annual real estate tax bills exceeding $10,000. These with the highest median property tax payments are found in —
- California: Marin County
- New Jersey: Bergen, Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union Counties
- New York: Nassau, New York, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties
- Virginia: Falls Church City
All but Falls Church and Marin County are near New York City, notes the Tax Foundation. Additionally, three counties in New Jersey, Santa Clara County in California, and the Western Connecticut Planning Region all have median property taxes exceeding $9,000.
Where your property taxes rank: Checking the Tax Foundation’s accompanying map, an image of which is shown below, I see that my whining observation that the Austin area has high property taxes is correct. I’m in the middle of the three dark blue counties in the sort-of center of the Lone Star State.
You can get a color-coded snapshot of what property taxes are where you live.
To get dollar specifics for your taxing jurisdiction, click over to the Tax Foundation post and use the interactive version of the map there. You’ll also find more data details on real estate taxes across the United States.
You also might find these items of interest:
- Making sure your property tax bill is correct
- Beware unsolicited — and questionable — property tax payment plans
- Alert property assessors of disaster damage ASAP to avoid wrong real estate tax bill
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