New data released by the Census Bureau on owner-occupied housing shows what most people in the Northeast already know: New York and New Jersey residents pay the most in property taxes.
Using this latest Census data, the TaxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. Foundation has compiled a table that ranks high-population counties across the country according to various property taxA property tax is primarily levied on immovable property like land and buildings, as well as on tangible personal property that is movable, like vehicles and equipment. Property taxes are the single largest source of state and local revenue in the U.S. and help fund schools, roads, police, and other services. measures.
The table sorts all high-population counties (all 775 of them in the U.S.) by the dollar value paid for property taxes on owner-occupied housing units. Here is a look at the top 15, but you can also check out the complete rankings here, which also includes more information for each county.
Top 15 Counties for Median Property Taxes Paid by Homeowners (2005 ACS)
| Rank |
County |
State |
Median Property Taxes Paid on Homes |
| 1 | Westchester County | NY |
$7,337 |
| 2 | Nassau County | NY |
$7,025 |
| 3 | Hunterdon County | NJ |
$6,988 |
| 4 | Bergen County | NJ |
$6,846 |
| 5 | Essex County | NJ |
$6,642 |
| 6 | Rockland County | NY |
$6,527 |
| 7 | Morris County |
NJ |
$6,478 |
| 8 | Somerset County | NJ |
$6,465 |
| 9 | Putnam County | NY |
$6,335 |
| 10 | Union County | NJ |
$6,312 |
| 11 | Passaic County | NJ |
$6,210 |
| 12 | Suffolk County | NY |
$6,131 |
| 13 | Monmouth County | NJ |
$6,015 |
| 14 | Hudson County | NJ |
$5,472 |
| 15 | Lake County | IL |
$5,393 |
Note: Median Property Taxes Paid on Homes is the “Median Real Estate Taxes Paid” on owner-occupied housing units for that county, as defined by Census. Source: 2005 American Community Survey, Census Bureau
Also in the Excel spreadsheet which is available for download on the page as well, one can view the statistics sorted either alphabetically or by taxes as a percentage of home value. Here is a preview of that data as we put the property taxes paid statistic in perspective by looking at it as a percentage of the median home value in that county in order to give us a look at the rate paid by the median homeowner in that county. As is shown, New York dominates this list as well, but different counties enter the mix.
Top 15 Counties for Homeowners’ Property Taxes as a Percentage of Home Value, (2005 ACS)
| Rank |
County |
State |
Taxes as a Percentage of Home Value |
| 1 | Niagara County | NY |
2.81% |
| 2 | Monroe County | NY |
2.73% |
| 3 | Onondaga County | NY |
2.64% |
| 4 | Wayne County | NY |
2.61% |
| 5 | Chautauqua County | NY |
2.60% |
| 6 | Fort Bend County | TX |
2.58% |
| 7 | Erie County | NY |
2.55% |
| 8 | Schenectady County | NY |
2.52% |
| 9 | Cayuga County | NY |
2.44% |
| 10 | Chemung County | NY |
2.42% |
| 11 | Tarrant County | TX |
2.39% |
| 12 | Camden County | NJ |
2.39% |
| 13 | Oswego County | NY |
2.38% |
| 14 | Oneida County | NY |
2.37% |
| 15 | Allegheny County | PA |
2.35% |
Note: The percentage is calculated by dividing the median real estate taxAn estate tax is imposed on the net value of an individual’s taxable estate, after any exclusions or credits, at the time of death. The tax is paid by the estate itself before assets are distributed to heirs. paid by the median home value in that county. Median Property Taxes Paid on Homes is the “Median Real Estate Taxes Paid” on owner-occupied housing units for that county, as defined by Census. Median home value is the “Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing Units.” Source: 2005 American Community Survey, Census Bureau
Finally, in the table, we have also added an extra column which shows the taxes paid statistic as a percentage of median household income for homeowners in that county. And be sure to stay tuned for our property tax special report, which will highlight how property taxes have grown over the past five years in addition to providing further geographic data. That report is scheduled to be released later this month.
Tip: If you want to find a county on the page, use the search tool inside the Flash table.
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