Congrats, you bought your first home! What an exciting adventure you are about to undergo. Hopefully, you are prepared for the underlying costs, like property taxes. If you live in a specific part of the country, you might be spending more yearly than you would have thought. With rates as high as 2%, you might think twice about buying property in these states.
1. Kansas
Call me naive, but I find it odd to see Kansas on a list of states with high property taxes. I assumed most of these states would be on the coast or in large metropolitan areas. Still, Kansas ranks 15 in property taxes with an average rate of 1.32%, meaning you are going to shell out around $2,800 a year to live and own property in this landlocked state.
2. New York
New York is tied for the 14th spot on the list; however, homes are more expensive, so you will pay more than other states. With average home prices of $370,000 and a property tax rate of 1.38%, the average homeowner will pay over $5,000 a year. If you live in the city, you might expect to pay these rates, but living in upstate New York might make you think otherwise.
3. Michigan
The state of Michigan is tied with New York for property taxes. Luckily for Michigan residents, home prices are cheaper, meaning they will pay less than New York residents. Both pay the 1.38% rate, but Michigan homes average around $228,000, meaning residents will pay around $3,000 yearly in taxes.
4. Rhode Island
Just outside of New York, residents of Rhode Island pay some of the highest rates in the country. The country’s tiniest state has some of the highest average home prices. With a property tax rate of 1.43 % and an average home price of just north of $430,000, residents pay an average of $6,200.
5. Pennsylvania
Those looking to buy property in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania should be prepared to pay some of the highest rates in the country. The average effective property tax rate sits at 1.49%. If you are looking at homes outside of the few big cities, homes can be bought for an average of $265,000. Even though homes are so cheap, property taxes are going to run around $4,000 a year for an average home.
6. Iowa
Sitting smack dab in the middle of the midwest, Iowa has a higher-than-average property tax. Residents can enjoy the snow and threat of tornadoes while they pay an average of $3,000 in property taxes. It might not seem like a lot, but the average home costs less than $200,000, and the rate is 1.5%, making it in the top ten property taxes in the country.
7. Ohio
Ohio residents, unfortunately, have to pay an effective property tax rate of 1.58%. That’s a lot to watch the Browns and Guardians lose every year. Luckily, despite the higher-than-average national rate, the state has some of the lowest average home prices, meaning you will only pay an average of $3,300 a year.
8. Nebraska
Nebraska has an effective property tax rate of around 1.6%. With an average home price of $245,000, Nebraska sits in the middle of the pack regarding home prices. With property taxes higher than normal, it makes me wonder what the appeal is of living in Nebraska.
9. Wisconsin
You will need to bring in some serious cheddar to pay your property taxes living in Wisconsin. The midwestern state has some pretty reasonable average home prices of $266,000. However, the effective property tax rate is a high 1.63%, which translates to just over $4,000 a year.
10. Texas
The great state of Texas is known for having zero state income tax, but its property taxes are one of the highest in the nation. Texas has seen a rise in population since the pandemic, meaning the average home price has risen to just over $300,00. With a property tax rate nearing 1.7%, it is one of the country’s highest states for property taxes.
11. Connecticut
We are heading back to the East Coast for the top five states in the country for property taxes. With the rate sitting at 1.76%, residents are paying some of the highest rates in the nation. Add the fact that homes average around $370,000; homeowners pay over $6,500 in taxes over the course of a year.
12. Vermont
The neighboring state of Vermont is even pricier than Connecticut. Even though the average home price is cheaper in Vermont, the property tax rate is higher, with an average of 1.82%. You might find a cheaper home in Vermont, but you are going to pay more than you would live in Connecticut.
13. New Hampshire
We might as well include all of the New England region on this list. New Hampshire has its residents paying a small fortune to own property in their state. The average effective property tax rate is just under 2% at 1.96%. House prices are the highest in the region, with average prices reaching $440,000, meaning residents will pay over $8,500 a year in taxes.
14. Illinois
The number two spot on this list goes to Illinois. The average effective property tax rate is over 2%. Luckily, outside of the Windy City of Chicago, home prices are relatively cheap, meaning families won’t go bankrupt paying property taxes. Still, the rate of 2.05% is astronomically high.
15. New Jersey
Finally, New Jersey can say it is number one compared to New York. Unfortunately, it is for being the state with the highest property tax rate in the United States. With a rate of 2.21%, residents are paying over $10,000 a year in property taxes. Listen, I have been to Jersey. I would rather live in Nebraska than pay the rates that New Jersey demands.
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