Each year, the average U.S. household pays $3,119 in real-estate property taxes, with residents of the 26 states that levy vehicle property taxes paying an additional $499.
To determine which residents face the highest property tax burden relative to their state, the personal finance company WalletHub released its 2026 Property Taxes by State report today, along with expert commentary. The report compares home and vehicle property taxes nationwide and includes insights from a panel of experts.
Property Taxes in South Carolina (1st=Lowest; 25th=Avg.):
- Real-Estate Property Tax Rank: 4th
- Vehicle Property Tax Rank: 47th
- Real-Estate Tax on Median State Home Value: $1,251
- Real-Estate Tax on Median U.S. Home Value: $1,607
- Vehicle Property Tax on Best-Selling Car: $678
Depending on where you live, property taxes can be anything from a minor annoyance to a significant financial strain. The average U.S. household pays $3,119 per year in property taxes on their home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and residents in the 26 states that levy vehicle property taxes pay an additional $499 annually.
While property taxes may seem irrelevant to the 35% of households that rent, that assumption misses the mark. Whether paid directly or indirectly, nearly everyone bears the cost of property taxes, as they influence rental prices and help fund state and local governments.
So which states place the heaviest property tax burden on residents, and what should taxpayers know about managing and potentially reducing what they owe? To find out, we examined real estate and vehicle property taxes across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and consulted a panel of property-tax experts for both practical guidance and policy insight.
|
Rank |
State |
Effective Real-Estate Tax Rate |
Annual Taxes on $332.7K Home* |
State Median Home Value |
Annual Taxes on Home Priced at State Median Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 0.27% | $888 | $839,100 | $2,239 |
| 2 | Alabama | 0.38% | $1,249 | $209,900 | $788 |
| 3 | Nevada | 0.47% | $1,549 | $435,400 | $2,027 |
| 4 | Arizona | 0.48% | $1,585 | $394,500 | $1,879 |
| 4 | Colorado | 0.48% | $1,605 | $539,400 | $2,602 |
| 4 | South Carolina | 0.48% | $1,607 | $259,000 | $1,251 |
| 7 | Idaho | 0.49% | $1,620 | $418,600 | $2,038 |
| 8 | Delaware | 0.50% | $1,671 | $352,000 | $1,768 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 0.50% | $1,673 | $286,700 | $1,442 |
| 10 | Utah | 0.52% | $1,717 | $489,400 | $2,525 |
| 11 | West Virginia | 0.53% | $1,770 | $162,600 | $865 |
| 12 | Louisiana | 0.55% | $1,813 | $216,500 | $1,180 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 0.55% | $1,840 | $188,000 | $1,040 |
| 14 | Wyoming | 0.57% | $1,898 | $309,700 | $1,767 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | 0.58% | $1,946 | $737,100 | $4,312 |
| 16 | North Carolina | 0.66% | $2,183 | $288,900 | $1,896 |
| 17 | New Mexico | 0.70% | $2,321 | $248,100 | $1,731 |
| 17 | California | 0.70% | $2,320 | $734,700 | $5,124 |
| 19 | Montana | 0.72% | $2,384 | $375,800 | $2,693 |
| 19 | Mississippi | 0.72% | $2,381 | $169,800 | $1,215 |
| 21 | Virginia | 0.73% | $2,419 | $383,700 | $2,790 |
| 22 | Indiana | 0.74% | $2,461 | $218,200 | $1,614 |
| 23 | Kentucky | 0.75% | $2,498 | $205,600 | $1,544 |
| 24 | Florida | 0.76% | $2,530 | $359,000 | $2,730 |
| 25 | Georgia | 0.77% | $2,568 | $303,300 | $2,341 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | 0.80% | $2,663 | $199,800 | $1,599 |
| 27 | Oregon | 0.81% | $2,700 | $477,600 | $3,876 |
| 27 | Washington | 0.81% | $2,685 | $564,600 | $4,556 |
| 29 | Missouri | 0.85% | $2,814 | $230,300 | $1,948 |
| 30 | Maryland | 0.97% | $3,243 | $419,900 | $4,093 |
| 31 | North Dakota | 0.99% | $3,286 | $249,900 | $2,468 |
| 32 | Minnesota | 1.02% | $3,392 | $329,300 | $3,357 |
| 32 | Maine | 1.02% | $3,406 | $296,600 | $3,036 |
| 34 | South Dakota | 1.06% | $3,521 | $257,400 | $2,724 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | 1.07% | $3,547 | $562,100 | $5,992 |
| 36 | Alaska | 1.11% | $3,678 | $352,900 | $3,901 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | 1.21% | $4,033 | $404,200 | $4,900 |
| 38 | Michigan | 1.25% | $4,172 | $231,600 | $2,904 |
| 39 | Kansas | 1.29% | $4,286 | $217,200 | $2,798 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | 1.30% | $4,328 | $254,500 | $3,311 |
| 41 | Ohio | 1.31% | $4,371 | $214,800 | $2,822 |
| 42 | Iowa | 1.39% | $4,634 | $208,000 | $2,897 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | 1.42% | $4,734 | $266,500 | $3,792 |
| 44 | Texas | 1.49% | $4,961 | $283,800 | $4,232 |
| 44 | Nebraska | 1.49% | $4,949 | $238,600 | $3,549 |
| 46 | New York | 1.55% | $5,167 | $423,800 | $6,582 |
| 47 | Vermont | 1.59% | $5,295 | $316,600 | $5,039 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | 1.66% | $5,511 | $402,500 | $6,667 |
| 49 | Connecticut | 1.81% | $6,024 | $366,900 | $6,643 |
| 50 | Illinois | 2.01% | $6,694 | $263,300 | $5,298 |
| 51 | New Jersey | 2.11% | $7,022 | $454,400 | $9,590 |
*$332,700 is the median home value in the U.S. as of 2024, the year of the most recent available data.
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