Enter a home value, pick your state, and get an instant annual and monthly property tax estimate — plus a ranked comparison of all 50 states.
| Home Value | Annual Tax | Monthly Escrow | % of Value |
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| # | State | Effective Rate | Annual Tax | Rate Visual |
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Property tax is estimated by multiplying a home's assessed value by a property tax rate. This tool uses each state's effective rate — the median tax paid as a share of home value — to give a realistic planning estimate.
Hawaii (0.27%), Alabama (0.41%), Nevada (0.49%), Colorado (0.49%), and Louisiana (0.51%) consistently have the lowest effective property tax rates in the US.
New Jersey (2.08%), Illinois (1.95%), Connecticut (1.92%), New Hampshire (1.61%), and Vermont (1.59%) have among the highest effective property tax rates in the US.
Not always. Some jurisdictions assess property below market value or use a fixed assessment ratio. This estimator works best as a planning tool — use your assessed value if you know it, or market value for a ballpark figure.
Yes. Taxes change when the local government adjusts the mill rate, or when the assessed value of your property is updated after a reassessment or sale. Some states cap annual assessment increases.
Because most lenders include property tax in your PITI payment (Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance). Even if you pay taxes annually or semi-annually, lenders often collect 1/12 of the annual amount each month into an escrow account.
Property tax is charged by local governments — counties, cities, school districts — and is one of the biggest ongoing costs of homeownership. This estimator uses each state's effective property tax rate, which is the median tax paid as a percentage of home value, to give you a realistic planning figure.
The formula is simple: Annual Tax = Home Value × Effective Rate. Divide by 12 to get the monthly escrow amount your lender will likely collect.
In many states the assessed value used for tax purposes differs from market value. Some jurisdictions assess at 80–90% of market value; others use a fixed assessment ratio set by law. If you know your assessed value, enter that for a more accurate estimate. If not, market value is a reasonable starting point for planning purposes.
Lenders typically include property taxes in your monthly PITI payment — Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance. They collect 1/12 of the estimated annual tax each month into an escrow account and pay the tax authority on your behalf when the bill comes due. This is why the monthly escrow figure matters even if you think of taxes as an annual expense.
Hawaii consistently has the lowest effective property tax rate in the country at around 0.27%, partly because assessed values are kept low relative to market prices. Alabama, Nevada, Colorado, and Louisiana round out the bottom five. If you're deciding between states, low property taxes can save thousands per year on the same home value.
New Jersey leads the country at over 2%, followed by Illinois and Connecticut. These states often have high rates because they rely more heavily on property taxes to fund local schools and services. A $500,000 home in New Jersey generates over $10,000 in annual property tax — more than $830 a month added to a mortgage payment.
Property taxes significantly affect total housing cost and should be part of any affordability calculation. Two identical homes priced the same can have very different effective costs depending on the state. A $400,000 home in Hawaii costs roughly $1,080/year in property tax. The same value in New Jersey costs over $8,300. Over a 30-year mortgage that's a difference of more than $218,000 in taxes alone.
Note: The rates used in this tool are state-level effective rate medians. Actual bills vary by county, city, and taxing district. Use this tool for planning — contact your local assessor's office for a definitive figure.