Property Tax Calculator by State

Property taxes fund local government — schools, fire and police, parks, libraries, road maintenance, and county administration. The total amount you pay is determined by three things: your home's assessed value, the state and local tax rate (collectively called the millage rate), and any exemptions you qualify for. On a $350,000 home, the difference between the lowest-tax state (Hawaii at 0.27%) and the highest (New Jersey at 2.47%) is roughly $7,700 per year — or $642 per month — for the exact same home.

The effective tax rate is what you actually pay. States advertise nominal rates that can be misleading because of assessment ratios. South Carolina's nominal rate looks high, but owner-occupied homes are assessed at 4% of market value instead of 6% — dropping the effective rate dramatically for residents. California's Prop 13 limits assessment growth to 2% per year regardless of market appreciation, which means longtime homeowners pay tax on a value far below their home's actual worth. Always compare effective rates, not nominal rates.

Texas, Florida, and other no-income-tax states fund services through property tax. Texas charges 1.8% effective rate; New Hampshire 2.0%; Wyoming 0.58%; Florida 0.83%; Alaska 1.19%. The trade-off: no state income tax means you keep more of your wages, but you pay more annually as a homeowner. For high earners, the no-income-tax states usually still come out ahead. For retirees on fixed incomes, the high property tax can hurt — which is why many of these states offer generous senior exemptions.

Homestead exemptions reduce your taxable value before the rate applies. Most states offer some version of a homestead exemption for owner-occupied primary residences. Florida's is generous: $50,000 off assessed value plus the Save Our Homes 3% annual cap. Texas just raised theirs to $100,000 for school district taxes plus a 10% appraisal cap. California offers $7,000 but combines it with the Prop 13 cap. Georgia, South Carolina, and most other states have smaller flat-dollar reductions that still save $200-$1,000 annually. Most exemptions require an application — they're not automatic. File once with your county assessor and the exemption applies every year until you sell.

Senior and veteran exemptions stack on top of the homestead. Most states offer additional reductions for homeowners 65+. Florida adds another $50,000 for low-income seniors. Texas adds $10,000. South Carolina exempts the first $50,000 of assessed value for seniors. Veterans typically qualify for additional reductions ranging from $4,000 to $24,000, with many states fully exempting 100% service-connected disabled veterans from property tax entirely. If you qualify for multiple exemptions, you usually claim them all — they're cumulative.

Your property tax bill is part of your monthly mortgage payment. Most lenders escrow your property tax — collecting 1/12 of the annual bill each month, holding it in an escrow account, and paying the county directly when the bill comes due. This protects the lender (your property is collateral; unpaid taxes lead to tax liens that can foreclose the property) and smooths your budget. Use our mortgage payment calculator to see how your state's property tax affects total PITI.

How to Lower Your Property Tax Bill

Three legitimate strategies. First, file every exemption you qualify for — homestead, senior, veteran, disability, agricultural, historic preservation, energy efficiency. Most homeowners file the basic homestead and stop; they miss thousands of dollars over the years. Check your county assessor's full list of exemptions and audit your eligibility annually. Second, appeal your assessment if comparable sales suggest your assessed value is too high. National success rates run 30-40%; well-documented appeals with 3-5 recent comps below your assessment win regularly. Filing fees are $25-$50 and the appeal can be filed each year. Third, file any property condition issues the assessor missed — a leaky roof, foundation crack, outdated systems, or other deficiencies can reduce your assessed value if documented during the appeal. See our property tax appeal guide for the step-by-step process.

What you cannot do: hide improvements (they'll catch you when permits are pulled or you sell), claim homestead on multiple properties (you can only homestead one residence), or claim senior exemption before you turn 65. These reduce real risk for very little benefit.

Related Tools and Reading

For the full closing-day fee breakdown, use our closing cost by state calculator. To see how property tax affects your maximum mortgage, run the affordability calculator. For total annual cost of homeownership including taxes, insurance, maintenance, and utilities, use our total cost calculator. Already own and think your tax bill is too high? Read our property tax appeal guide.

Effective tax rates derived from Tax Foundation State-Local Tax Burden Rankings and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey property tax data, cross-referenced with state department of revenue published rates.

Homestead, senior, and veteran exemption amounts sourced from state department of revenue websites and AARP state tax guides. Values are state-level approximations; actual exemptions vary by county and school district, and require active filing with the local assessor.

Methodology note: the calculator multiplies (home value − exemption amount) by the state's average effective tax rate. Real bills will vary because (a) effective rates differ between counties and school districts, (b) exemption rules have additional eligibility tests (income caps, age verification, residency duration), and (c) some states use assessment ratios rather than direct percentage multiplication. This is an educational estimate, not a tax bill. Verify with your county assessor before relying on it for major decisions. See our full data methodology.

Important: if you believe your assessment is too high, you may have grounds to appeal. Consult your county assessor's website for appeal procedures and deadlines.