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ublished November 8, 2025 7:35pm MST
Property taxes are climbing nationwide, but the amount homeowners pay still depends heavily on location. In 2024 the median U.S. property tax bill reached $3,500, a 2.8 % rise from 2023, driven by higher home values and shifting local rates. State‑to‑state differences are stark, Realtor.com reports.
A recent example: Miami‑based investor Isaac Toledano, CEO of BH Group, told LiveNOW’s Josh Breslow that his firm has secured several contracts with New York buyers amid concerns over the Mamdani administration.
Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com, said “tax growth varies widely state to state, with some states seeing burdens outpace home‑price growth while others see taxes falling even as homes appreciate.” Bruce Ailion, a Re/Max Town and County agent in Atlanta, added that property taxes fund essential services—police, fire, schools, courts, libraries, parks, emergency response, roads, and often overlooked services such as senior care, municipal airports, public health, water, sewer, and trash collection.
West Virginia leads the nation with a median annual tax of just $728, the lowest ever recorded. New Jersey tops the list, averaging $9,413 per year. Other low‑tax states include Alabama ($804), Arkansas ($871), Mississippi ($1,034), South Carolina ($1,328), Tennessee ($1,333), Louisiana ($1,415), Oklahoma ($1,481), Kentucky ($1,551), and Michigan ($1,670). High burdens are concentrated in the Northeast, where home prices and incomes exceed national averages. States with the lowest taxes typically have median home prices below the national median of $425,000 (Sept. 2025).
While lower taxes ease homeowner budgets, they often mean reduced local services. Legislators in Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas are exploring relief measures, and Montana has already enacted property‑tax reductions, FOX 10 reports.
Data for this story come mainly from Realtor.com, which supplied 2024 median tax figures, state comparisons, and national housing trends. FOX Business contributed to the report. This story was reported from Los Angeles. Real EstateHouse and Home U.S. News
