Property Tax Rates Vary Widely by State and Geography
There is a nearly $8,000 difference between what residents of the state with the highest property taxes pay compared to those who live in the state with the lowest annual tax bill.
NAHB analysis of data from the 2019 American Community Survey shows that in 2019, New Jersey continued its perennial distinction as the state with the highest average annual tax bill per home owner. Garden State home owners paid an average of $8,687 in real estate taxes in 2019.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Alabama ranked 50th among home owners in average real estate tax paid per year. There, the average real estate tax bill totaled just $713.
The top five states with the highest average annual property taxes are all located in the Northeast:
| Rank | Average Real Estate Taxes Paid Per Year |
| 1. New Jersey | $8,687 |
| 2. Connecticut | $6,593 |
| 3. New York | $6,410 |
| 4. New Hampshire | $5,843 |
| 5. Massachusetts | $5,495 |
The states with the lowest average annual property taxes are primarily located in the South:
| Rank | Average Real Estate Taxes Paid Per Year |
| 50. Alabama | $713 |
| 49. West Virginia | $815 |
| 48. Mississippi | $1,038 |
| 47. Arkansas | $1,046 |
| 46. Louisiana | $1,080 |
NAHB economist David Logan looks at the national picture and provides further analysis in this Eye on Housing blog post.
Find out where your state stands on the list.
Latest from NAHBNow
Apr 07, 2026
Trump Seeks Nearly $11 Billion Cut to HUD ProgramsPresident Trump has proposed a budget that would cut non-defense discretionary spending by $73 billion for fiscal year 2027, which runs from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. The spending reductions include a $10.7 billion cut — about 13% — for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Apr 06, 2026
Emerging Green Building Professional Spotlights Innovative Takeaways from IBSThe NAHB IBS Sustainability and Green Building Scholarship aims to provide emerging green builders exposure to the world of high-performance homes and help them jump-start their professional journey by attending the International Builders’ Show (IBS). This year’s winner is Grace Weger, a green builder making a meaningful impact in the world of affordable housing.
Latest Economic News
Apr 07, 2026
Rising Rates Weigh on Mortgage ActivityMortgage application activity decreased month-over-month as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, declined 4.3% from February on a seasonally adjusted basis but remained 30.8% higher than a year earlier.
Apr 06, 2026
Which States and Construction Trades Depend the Most on Immigrant Workers?Immigrants’ share of the construction workforce reached a record high in 2024, with foreign-born workers accounting for more than a quarter of the industry’s labor force (26.3%). The share is even higher among construction trades, for which one in three craftsmen is foreign-born.
Apr 03, 2026
Job Growth Rebounds in MarchThe U.S. labor market showed signs of a modest rebound in March following a weak February, as payroll employment increased and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.3%. Job growth was led by healthcare, construction, and transportation and warehousing.