How much are your property taxes

Property Taxes – How High Are Yours?

How much are your property taxes

Taxes. It’s part of life.

UPDATE: The poll question results are in:
“How much are your annual property taxes?”

(Jump directly to poll results)


I’m not aware of anyone (other than politicians) who likes taxes.

When we are taxed by the government (federal, state, or local), what we are doing is (forcibly) giving up some of our money so that government may redistribute it elsewhere. We don’t have a choice in the matter. Well, actually we do, to an extent…

We have a choice of moving to other places – where tax burden may be less. Though moving is a major life changing event, we do have the ability to do so.

With that said, overall tax burden can be tricky. Taxes are collected in a multitude of ways. Income, Sales, Property. Business taxes. Hidden and semi-hidden taxes. There are all sorts of taxes you’re paying. Government gets their take on seemingly every transaction where money changes hands.

Some governments are resorting to ridiculous methods. One recent proposal that I heard about from the government in New Jersey – they want to tax you based on the rain. Yes, a rain tax.

I’m getting way off track here. I don’t mean to gripe about the many forms of taxation. I’m just curious to discover how much people are paying for just one of the many forms of taxation: Property tax.

 

Property Tax – How Much are you Paying?

I know that property tax is just one part of the bigger picture. States collect their taxes one way or another, be it a piece of your income, sales tax, property tax, or other fees.

 
UPDATE

Here are the results of our reader poll question,
“How much are your annual property taxes?”

From 341 entries,

poll question: how much are your annual property taxes?

annual property taxes chart

Observations: It looks like the sweet spot is between $1,000 and $2,000 based on our own poll results across the country (and our demographic for this blog). But with that said, clearly (in second place) many people are paying in excess of $5,000 a year in property taxes.

Of those who commented below (as of this update 2/23/19), states that had two or more entries, here are the averaged (non scientific) results – though interesting nonetheless:

Highest to lowest:

Illinois $5525
New Hampshire $4367
New York $4033
Washington $3854
California $3157
Texas $3033
Colorado $1790
New Mexico $1350
Florida $1340
Kentucky $800

 
Overall, within the comments below, 23 states were represented. Again, non-scientifically (due to variations of home value, county, some 1-vote per state, etc..) here are those averaged results:

Massachusetts 8200
Illinois 5525
New Hampshire 4367
New York 4033
Washington 3854
California 3157
Texas 3033
Virginia 2600
Oregon 2200
Colorado 1790
Tennessee 1738
Nebraska 1700
Arkansas 1400
Michigan 1400
New Mexico 1350
Florida 1340
Montana 1300
South Carolina 803
Kentucky 800
Nevada 742
Arizona 600
Wyoming 570
Idaho 500


 
I realize that property taxes vary (sometimes widely) depending on the valuation of one’s home (McMansion vs tiny house). And as it relates to the surrounding region, county, and the demands of local/state government there.

However it might be interesting to get average property tax numbers in this poll – enabling comparison to what others are paying. Are you in the middle? Paying more? or paying less than average?

Too bad I couldn’t add a additional reference to which state your entry may apply to within this poll. But my polling software is fairly simple. Plus, it may not be that telling because often it’s more closely tied to the county level than the state, with some exceptions. Additionally, states with no income or sales tax will have higher property taxes (money’s got to come from somewhere…).

Anyway, given the recent article, “Best States To Live A Preparedness Lifestyle” – I thought this might be interesting too.

121 Comments

  1. Living in Florida,

    150000. Appraisal 3br,2b, 1800 sq ft home,pool and 2 car garage. Homesteader exemption, 980.00 taxes.

    120000. Appraisal 2br,2b, 1200 sq.ft. Home,pool and 1 car garage

    Not homestead exemption, 1400.00 taxes.

    3 acres ag, 400.00 taxes.

    1. Florida is a very appealing low-tax-burden state. No income tax and low property taxes compared with many other states.

      Tell me about this Homestead exemption?

      1. It applies to your first home, reduces the appraisal 50000.00 , so it’s taxed on 100000.00.
        That’s why the second home we have, is more .

  2. Illinois (southern). 1900 sq. ft, home, 40×42 shop, 12 acres $6000.00

      1. I live in the bond/madison co area in IL. I was a builder for a couple decades. That is the norm unfortunately. One friend of mine in Highland has a modest ranch home. $5300. Another one I helped build in rural bond co 2000sf on 1 acre got a tax bill that came out to $100 per week! I pay $1300 per year for 15 acres. With 2 cabins, a barn and a 24 x 24 garage. But I had to fight tooth, fang, and claw to get it reduced that low. Now I have it listed as mostly non tillable farmland.

  3. Wyoming, 2 bed, 1 bath, 884 sq ft plus 2ea. 128 sq ft enclosed porches, plus full unfinished basement, 1 car garage and 2 small lots.
    $639
    House is assessed at just over $85,000, but I have well over $100k invested in it.

    My late father always said, “You don’t own your property; you rent it from the government. The rent is in the form of property taxes.”

    1. That should read $639 property taxes. They have a Senior Citizen exemption but it is based on income and assets. They count my IRA so I have too many assets to qualify.

    2. I used to live in Rock Springs, WY. 753 sqft, 1.5 bdrm, 1 bath, 1 small detached garage, in town. ~$500/year. Value when I bought the house $115,000. Value when sold a few years ago $57,000. Yes, I lost my butt on the property.

      1. $115,00 was the appraised value when purchased in 2008, just before the housing crash and before natural gas prices tanked.

        1. Brings back memories. Back in the late 70s I was hitch hiking cross country and started getting rides along with a guy who lived in Rock Springs. He invited me stay at his place for a few days. While there we took a ride out into the high desert. It was beautiful and so quiet. I couldn’t figure it out but the only sound I could hear was a slow rhythmic thumbing. After a minute or so I figured it out. It was so quiet I was hearing my heart beating.

        2. It has changed a lot since then. About an hour north of Rock Springs around the mesa and Farson, the area is scattered with dirt roads and a gajillion gas wells. Up there it is almost always windy. In the remote places, YES, complete and utter silence. Sometimes it almost seems eerie being so quiet.

  4. Small Town USA in southern middle TN

    city taxes $611.00
    county taxes $1127.00

    modest 3bedrm
    3/4 acre lot

  5. Our taxes took a big jump last year as the state is not sending as much to the towns. So the towns had to raise property taxes to make up for the short fall. Usually when they go up its about $50 to $100 a year. Last year it jumped over $300 more a year. Oooh I can’t wait to see this year.

  6. Here in Texas I pay property taxes on the ranch land AND the oil/gas that is still actually underground. The tax on the land itself is not so bad because I get the agricultural reduced tax rate. The oil/gas is tax rate is very high since since the oil and gas is classified as a mineral (defined by the Texas legislature).
    Now here comes the salt in the wound. The Texas Supreme Court ruled that underground water actually belongs to the land owner by defining water as a mineral. By defining water as a mineral land owners will now have to pay property tax on all subsurface water per my tax attorney.
    It seems that the government always finds a way to get more of our money by taxes(theft).

    1. TB
      I just wonder if people will ever wake the hell up and say “NO MORE!”

  7. Taxes in Catron County NM just went up a bit.
    $499 for 2100 sq ft house, 3 out buildings, 11 acres, big enclosed garden and enclosed orchard. Guess I am not moving!

    1. OL,
      You shouldn’t have let the cat out of the bag. Now you’ll have neighbors. They’ll tell you day in and day out. “Well, I’m from …., and BACK HOME we did it this way.” Then you’ll tell them they should go “back home”. Or maybe you’ll ask them, “Well, if it was soooooo great BACK HOME, why did you leave.”

    2. Old Lady

      I just checked out Catron County NM. If I had known about your county before I moved to Wyoming, I would have moved next door to you instead. You have even fewer people per square mile than NW Wyoming. Plus…You get more rain then I do and it is not as cold.

      1. Daisy K,
        There is a pretty strong anti – federal government attitude among the people of Catron County. Particularly toward the land management agencies. Also, there are some environmental organizations headquartered in Santa Fe that have tried to run roughshod over agricultural folks because of their desire to protect all kinds of posies and wildlife. Salt of the earth folks are what you have in Catron County. I just don’t know if they have a vet as good as one yours, Dr. Steve.

  8. Taxes in Evergreen Co
    2850 sq ft home 3 bed, 3 bath, 2 car garage, three decks and 1.04 acre.
    $2180.
    No homeowners exemption because you have to be 65 and live in the home for 10 years.

  9. Extreme Northern California. $1200 on 3 acres. 4 bedroom. 2.5 bathroom house.
    This is one of reasons I’m still here is the state knocks of about half of my bill for being a disabled veteran. Before the rating increase I was paying $2400 a year.

  10. Meagher County, MT $1,300 on 1,800 sq. ft. and 1,300 sq. ft. garage. All on 1 acre of ground

  11. I left CA and a 1700 sq foot home with a 1500 sq foot shop…and left paying $3500 in property taxes last year (which despite Prop 13 continued to go up!).

    Moved to Nevada, built a small 1 bedroom, 1 bath living quarters inside a 3600 sq foot shop on 100 acres. Taxes prior to building were $650, and after are $742. Hmmmm….I do not know if they will go up again or not. We do have a “primary residence” discount which will limit annual increases to 3%.

    But Nevada gets you in other ways. No state income tax, but a sales tax that is more than CA and vehicle registration that can be outrageous. We have a 10 year old truck that is cheap, but we bought a 4 year old car that we are paying registration calculated on the full, new price. I have been told by DMV that the registration cost does not go down until the car is over 5 years old.

  12. We pay $600ish in KY for county tax and pay $120 for city tax. We have a 3 bed room, 1.5 bath with a 2 car garage on a regular city lot.

  13. It is impossible to get off the treadmill. This is the one area that they can keep increasing at will, as the country goes down – they will never starve until we are all dead. It’s for the kids you know /s

  14. Unincorporated area of Sacramento, $5,775 on a 4bd home, 1/4 acre lot with a pool.

    $500 for undeveloped 15 acres in northern Idaho.

      1. The worst reason of all… the job!

        I’m in a highly technical field with extremely limited areas to ply my skills. For me and mine, the option was Silicon Valley or Sac area. At the time (23 years and counting) it was an easy choice. Looking back now it was still the lesser of 2 evils, but the career I chose is making the future easier. 2 or 3 more years and we’ll be out of the looniness!

  15. Arkansas. 1300sf home, 400sf granny cabin#1, 900sf guest cabin#2, 1200sf shop, 45acres land- $1400 a year including personal property of four vehicles, tractor, and two trailers. Home evaluation is locked in at age 65. $6000 homestead exemption deducted from evaluation of primary residence.

    State income tax of 5% on first $50,000, 7% on income above $50,000.
    Sales tax 6% state, 3 1/2% county and local.

    Low vehicle registration fees and no annual vehicle safety inspection requirement. Around $35 each for wife’s and daughter’s cars registration, $3 for my veteran’s tag on my pick-up. Tag on our 42 year old farm truck is free lifetime registration as an antique vehicle.

    I moved here from Texas when I retired. My property values are similar. Texas had no income taxes, but other taxes and fees made my total liabilities about equal overall.

  16. Western Washington, unincorporated town. 5 acres 2400 SQ foot home 3 bed 2 bath. 1200sq ft granny flat, 2000 sq ft shop. Various out buildings and chicken coop. 8000$ prop taxes last year. No fun.
    MadFab

  17. Central Arizona. 1500 sf, 4 bedroom, 10,000 sf lot. $600/yr county taxes. Assessed value frozen (we’re over 65). Gotta love AZ.

  18. We have no sales tax in Montana, so our property taxes are extreme. Every year they try to pass a sales tax to lighten the burden on property owners. The only acceptable sales tax would be one that forever abolishes property taxes. Property taxes are evil, plain and simple. No one actually owns their property when there is a property tax. More people need to understand this. Imagine paying for ones property and it is actually yours for ever? One of the biggest crimes is retired people having to sell off their homes, “for the lack of funds” to pay for their property taxes. Imagine the help it would give our children, if we could deed our property to them tax free. We are not truly free with any form of property tax. Very communistic,isn’t it?

  19. Unincorporated Pierce County Western WA (I-5 corridor), cul de sac, great schools, close by amenities,1/3 fenced acre with sweet territorial view, 2 sheds, mature wine grape arbor, 1,628 sf manufactured house including finished garage, 3br 2 ba taxes in 2018 were $1,617. Bought it as a tear down but completely gradually renovated interior including new windows and back glass doors. However, did not improve curb appeal. Value and taxes should be at least 2x higher but hasn’t been an inspector by in the 10 years I’ve owned it. Car license tabs would be 10x what it is at the farm. Used as a rental.

    10 acres rural a few miles inland on southern Olympic Peninsula, town 25 miles away, poor county with 23% on SNAP. 1,440 sf manufactured house, 3br 2ba, 1,200 sf shop/outdoor covered areas, fenced and cross fenced, good deep well, 1/3 wooded, taxes are $1,617 (creepy coincidence, huh?).

    Adjacent wooded 15 acres with about 1,800 ft river front, taxes are $352. Keeping the two parcels separate. Having 25 acres on the river would skyrocket value and taxes.

    My dear Mad Fab, you’re too close to the bright lights. Come out to the darker and wetter side of Western WA.

    WA has no income tax, and a basic sales tax that is one of the highest in the country; gas taxes are the highest. Counties and municipalities add a plethora of other taxes including additional sales taxes.

    1. Anony Mee,
      Would dearly love to move to the wet side!! Vacation there every summer around west port. Love love love it! Waiting for hubby to retire. Then we r outta here. Waaaay to many people lol.

  20. 2400 sq ft home, 40×60 pole barn, 60×80 shop on 100 timbered acres in eastern WA. Annual property taxes $3300. (65 acres classified as timber land, 21 acres as agricultural use, significantly reducing tax burden.)

  21. Great idea on the curb appeal! I thought CA could claim the highest gas tx prices…anywhere from 60 cents to $1 more when I drove thru last week.

    1. You’re right. WA gas taxes are #3 after PA and CA. Puts an unjust burden on those outside of the big cities.

  22. A relative of mine who lives in New Jersey told me the taxes there are so horrible, that people are fleeing. So, New Jersey passed the Exit Tax. Any property owner who sells their property and relocates outside the state of NJ must pay 10% of the sale price of said property to the state of NJ as a penalty for removing themselves from their property tax base.

    I wonder what the total effective tax rate was that drove our Founding Fathers to put their foot down and say “No More!”.

    I bet it was less than the average tax rate today ;)

    1. restoringBrad,

      Amazing how people seem to be fine with there politicians spending other people’s money………. until they become the other people.

      As I recall, the tax that put the colonists over the edge was a 0.5% tax on tea (one half of one percent).

    2. Exit tax–coming soon to a state near you. Most despotic cultures eventually do this, it’s an attempt to keep the producers under their control.

      1. How do they know you didn’t buy another house in that state?

        There must be a way around it

        Perhaps invest that 10% you would have paid in taxes in vacant land. Tell the state revenue dept that you are going to build a new home on it.

        A year or two later, sell the vacant land and pay the exit tax on only that vacant land, saving 90% of the tax. Or maybe there is no exit tax on vacant land?

        Question: Do they deduct the exit tax at real estate closings?

        1. I can think of a lot of ways. Shall we brainstorm? : )

          They couldn’t deduct the exit tax at closing because the real estate attorney and blah blah blah would have to know about the person’s future plans. Maybe they assume that everyone who sells property is trying to escape and tax it all. Or maybe new requirements say that new property has to be purchased (in state) and the money transferred directly? That’s the way they do it with an IRA rollover. From one financial institution to another, no middle man. If the person holds the money at any time it’s taxed.

        2. Lauren, I guess they could deduct from the proceeds at closing unless you certify you are exempt (perhaps certify under oath that you are remaining in the state) This is what they do when you receive dividends, sell stock or take money out or your IRA. You have to sign under penalty of perjury that you are not subject to backup withholding.

          Some problems with withholding:
          First, some people don’t receive 10% of the proceeds. By the time they pay the mortgage, Realtor, title insurance, etc., there may be virtually no money left.
          Second, What if you need ALL the proceeds to buy another house? You might intend to stay in the state but without all the proceeds of the sale of your previous home, you might not be able to afford to stay. You might have to move to Wyoming or something.

        3. When I moved years ago from town into the country in Pa, I was charged a moving in tax instate moving. . property taxes were high (over 5K) but no move out tax..yet. That state taxed about everything.

          I see from the comments above, the only people not taxed who leave the state of NJ are renters. People are leaving Illinois because of the high taxes, and half the state’s budget goes to government pensions. Sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.

    3. Hit post too soon. An additional point is that it’s not about losing property taxes–the person the property is sold to still pays just as much.

      1. Curious so looked it up. Seems to be mandatory pre-payment of capital gains state income tax for those moving out of state. Adjusted and finalized when annual state income tax return is filed.

  23. 1825 SqFt Adobe Style House, even has Electricity and Running Water hehehe
    900+SqFt Shop/Garage
    Several Out Buildings
    3.75 Acers
    Killer View of Orange River Valley
    Very Secluded
    $400K+ Appraisal
    Secondary Land of 1 Acre undeveloped in the “Big City”
    P-Tax $2200
    Sales Tax 6.65%
    Dog NOT included HAHAHA

    Ok Ken, I showed you mine, what’s yours look like?

  24. 1 acre 1900 sq ft house 2 car garage not in city limits, $3000/year. Not a fancy house at all. Ridiculous.

    1. When I lived in the Willamette Valley in about 7 years my taxes went from about $700 to $2600. Hate to see what the people that bought my house are paying 2 years later.

  25. Too late to vote I guess….oh well
    Central Mich area
    1625 sq ft, 2 bedroom, 1 and 1/2 bath, basement
    20 x 12 shed, now chicken coop
    On 1.5 acres
    $1400
    70 acres out back
    40a – tillable with rock
    30a – lowland trees and Rock
    $500
    And don’t be late on paying for crap sake
    One day late and they’ll charge ya.
    Road maintenance is ok
    But we do have a few ditches that run no where or up hill. And the schools just love tax payers/land owners money.
    6% sales tax
    Plan on traveling some distance if you’re looking for a decent wage.

  26. And don’t worry people, it will just get worse.
    Property taxes will keep increasing/foreclosures, forcing all to move to the pacnstac housing in the cities.
    Agenda 21/30 and beyond.
    Jackholes

  27. Ken,
    Have you seen anything on the bills in congress, HR24/HR25?
    Or have you herd about the GSR or GESARA/NESARA, as to how the Federal Reserve and the IRS where formed.
    Could be an interesting topic in a future post.
    Since where on the subject of taxes.
    Best wishes to all,
    Out.

  28. Kentucky
    appraisal…150,000 2100 sq ft ***4 br/2 1/2 bath*** 2 car garage*** 1 acre

    taxes..1000 with the senior discount

  29. ….and by all means
    Question your land tax with the board.
    And mind you only one piece of property can be argued at one session….
    A new tax accessor jumped my estates property taxes.
    I asked -why-
    Well it seems you have 70 acres of farm land.
    -Only 40 is tillable-…
    Well I guess I need take a look to reevaluate.
    Any changes won’t be until the next tax year.
    Greedy, cheating, Jackholes…..

      1. Steve
        For my other thirty to be tillable, I would have to remove hundreds of trees and tree stumps, a backhoe or bulldozer to remove rocks, the land worked and built up to allow farm machinery to plant and harvest within a growing season without being pulled out by helicopter.
        Tillable/without busting up a lot of stuff working the land or breaking a budget trying to achieve a tillable parcel.

  30. Riverside County CA, 1 acre lot, 1900 sqft 4 br, 2 bath, home 1000 sqft shop, pool. $3366 per year. Owned home for 20 years, as to why the prop taxes are still reasonable. At current value if I purchased my home today, the taxes would be much higher.
    Our total sales tax is about 10%, and of course here in CA were blasted with other sky high taxes. Car registration is thru the roof.
    2018 f150 $606, 2015 accord $255, 1986 Toyota 4×4 truck $128 plus smog test about $60, 1962 Chevy Impala $128.
    Don’t get me started on the auto insurance.

    1. Forgot to add, the local school districts can put a measure on the ballot to buy bonds and have them paid by property owners on our prop tax bill. These stupid measures always pass, stupid people vote for these increases all the time. It’s about $150 to our tax bill.
      If you don’t own property, you shouldn’t be allowed to vote, or at least not vote for any property tax increases.

  31. State income tax is unconstitutional in Texas but local property taxes are killer, we have a school district tax and a county tax, my total for 2400 sq ft home on 2 acres, valuation of 250,000.00 is 3500.00 a year and I live in the country. There is a hot bill in the Texas Congress this year to require taxing entities to get voter approval on a rate hike above 2.5%, but even our flaming red legislators are getting so much pressure from teachers and police/fire departments that the restriction might not pass. Truth be told, it’s just about not worth it to own residential property in Texas. What’s really aggravating is that residential property is taxed at 100% of market value while commercial property is under assessed and taxed below 100% of value.

  32. Rockland county New York 3200 sq feet home half acre19,975.00 town and school tax

  33. I do not own yet, but looking for a homestead this year or next. But in my County they report the property tax to be about 0.97% of a property’s market value.

    Most homes are valued between 40-150k. 150k being the nicest standard neighborhood home available. I hope to get more than 5 acres of land on a river for less than 150k, with a middle of the road home. An empty field would be even better, build from scratch.

  34. NH
    1200 Square feet, 3 bedroom, 1 Bath
    Town values it @ $153k
    $4300 Property taxes for 2018

    1. NH Blows!
      1500 sq ft 3 bed 2 bath
      on about 2 acres house is about $127k
      $5,500 and climbing..

  35. I see that many have experienced tax increase. Just remember to plan in future tax and medical increases when figuring out retirement income. When I read that 80% of people live paycheck to paycheck, I hate to think of the inevitable crunch – poverty, riots, ….

  36. Nebraska
    1200 sq ft house, full basement finished, 750 sq ft shop, 1 acre outside of town on paved road, appraised $130,000 , property tax $1700. 5 acres unimproved grass $160. Sales tax 5.5%

    1. plainsroamer,

      When I moved out of Colo, I checked into Nebraska. You could actually buy a cheaper house in Nebraska than right across the border in Wyoming, but the property taxes were 3 times higher than Wyoming. Sales taxes were a little higher, too. And Wyoming has no income tax. Also, Wyoming has fewer people, which appealed to me.

      1. DaisyK
        It depends a lot on what school district you live in in Nebraska. Property taxes are capped at 2%, 1% for the school and 1% for everything else. Some schools are right at the cap while others at well below the cap (2 districts in my area are at 0.4%), school building bonds are on top of the cap, but have to be approved by the voters for a set amount and term. Sales tax is 5.5% state wide but again there is a local option to add an additional 1.5% for a specific project and a specific length of time approved by the voters.

  37. Upstate NY finger lakes region, rural sub area outside small town on 5 Acres of land, 1/2 field 1/2 Tall pines – 900sq ft home built 4 years ago with 2 story 30×40 pole barn garage – school taxes are @1800 a year and Property taxes are $800-900 per year.

  38. E. WA. 4 acres,creek,1500 sf home ,1200 sf shop.rural. $2,500.00 tax bill. We are blessed with an idiot masquerading as a governor that wants to enact a 3 % capital gains tax, and raise our already absurd gasoline tax. Ain’t life grand!

  39. Southwest NY, 3 br, 1 bath, 2200 sq ft with full basement, attached 3 car garage with full shop. Assessed 120,000, property taxes $4800 annual. 55 acres with 32 x 60 barn assessed $45,000, taxes $1200 annual.

  40. School taxes are charged separately and are about 50 percent of property tax. If you request a veteran exemption, they will re-evaluate your property to make up the difference.

  41. SW Colorado, 35 acre, zone Ag-1, 950 square foot cottage, 650 sf metal barn. Taxes are $1400. Will likely go up next year when I finish the garage/ canning kitchen/ loft building.

  42. South of DC. 2+ acres, 800 sq ft home w/basement (built in 1938), outbuildings inc 1200 sq foot onestory warehouse, chicken coop, garden shed, garage, 2 other small buildings. Assessed at $266,000. Tax is $2600. Virginia also has the personal property tax on vehicles. Our newest is 2011, others are 2001and 2002.

  43. rural So NH 10 acres, 1/3 of which is a power line easment, 850 sq ft, no central heat, 4 outbuildings comes to about $4000/year.
    but, no sales or income tax, it’s gotta come from somewhere i suppose.

  44. Florida Homestead exemption used to be 25k and was raised to 50k some years ago.
    It only applies on your primary residence.
    Second home, rental, vacation home not eligible.

  45. Western NY, 1100 sq ft 3bed 1 bath on a 1/4acre runs us about $3400.00

  46. In certain cities they already have “rainwater tax” and they don’t classify it as such but as stormwater maintenance fees.

  47. Northeast Florida, awesome weather, reasonably low or no taxes! 1900+ sq. ft. ranch house, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage, huge shed, 3/4 acre lot, property taxes under $1700 a year. You’ve got to be nuts to pay 3, 4, or 5000 thousand dollars for property tax a year, every year, FOREVER !!!!!!!!!!

  48. 12 acres in northeast Massachusetts 4 brs 3 car garage keeps going up $8200

  49. South Carolina 3 across – 3000 SqFt – pool – 40x 40 work shop 15x 20 shed 2 1/2 car garage 4 bed 2.5 bath don’t forget the all brick they tax me on that. But I have no room to complain after reading all the other post. $803.00 a year and less than $400.00 personal property taxes thought I would throw that in.

  50. I found it interesting that all my family in Florida have low property tax; however, their insurance rates were really high. Extremely high if they owned an older home. So my dad actually pays more in Florida for both property and insurance for his home than we pay for both in New York!

  51. Yeah, I should have posted..Idaho’s numbers are skewed quite a bit
    2850 Sq. Ft, 20′ x 30″ shop on .75 Acre pay about $3600 per yr all things considered

  52. A little confusing, as the total tax bill which is $11,500 includes the school Tax which is about $4,500. This is for the privilege of living on Long Island, probably the worst place in the world to prepare for SHTF. Large House 5 beds 2 baths w guest Apt 1/2 acre.

  53. A rural 1200 sq. ft. home, 3 bd, 2 bath with 2 car insulated garage on a Norway pine plantation of 4+ acres, I paid only $250 total last year in Property tax in N. Minnesota, surrounded by many lakes, one past my back yard, two lakes across the street, and one on the south side of next door.

    I have a homestead exempt (you live in it over 6 months a year) that cuts tax in half, and a low income that gives me property tax credit for half of what’s left. We do have a State payroll income tax, but the state refunds it all to me and more. We have a sales tax of 6.875% but clothing and store bought food are exempt.

    The value of the home is about $125,000, built in ’95, remodeled in 2002. New roof. Post card views. Am I the cheapest here?

      1. Hi NRP, lurking a bit, I’m doing fine, paid off my house while away, now remodeling, working hard to pay those high $250 yr. property taxes (Heh, heh, keeping it on topic, heh, heh.

  54. Well ain’t that sweet.
    Just opened the mail from the tax accessor.
    My assessed/state equalized value has jumped $10,000..
    $9,900 to be exact.
    With no improvements.
    Crooked jackholes.

    I can just imagine the double speak BS they’ll throw at me when I b!tch at their frickin board meeting.
    As far as I recall, my raise didn’t even cover the cost of living increases.
    Agenda 2030, anyone?
    “What’s yours has always been ours. We just wait and wait until you fail under pressure.”
    Brass, copper and lead.
    Come, come get u some. Ya f…in pukes.

    1. Who out here has good advice, beyond the basics, of fighting land taxes…..that work?
      I’ve got two weeks to pull my $hit together before my meeting.

      I can only imagine what my farm land has increased to.

      And my little to no income brother’s taxes.

      1. Joe c…..in general, I think if you can claim/show no improvements to said land, it helps. Years back when farm taxes first came in, I used to hear old folks tell of farm homes that looked like run down shacks on outside, but darn nice inside… I have the “idea” that if you can make a case your land is run down stubble, not even good for pasture, and wouldn’t support a gopher, full of holes and rocks, no buildings to speak of, etc…—-Is there a way you can look around locally and see what land taxes are/what is on the land, etc..? Not sure if that info is public/or available cheaply..Size up what you’re up against. Line up why your land is “worse” than “George”s”, etc..

  55. Jane Foxe
    Thanks
    As NRP once quoted.
    Burns my a$$, like a waist high brush fire.
    Is funny,
    WE have to do ALL the leg work to debate, while they just increase with a stroke of a pen.
    —Teeth clenched—-
    Need no Hot Peppers here.
    I’m burning.
    Ummm why is your BP so high?
    Here’s some meds.

  56. Joe c…welcome. by the by, I have seen folks be successful, along aforementioned lines. Another thing, are you sure your land is as large as the tax assessors say? Do you have a recent survey? Compare these. Also pace it out yourself, surveyors could make an error…If you can get together a few pages of points on why your land is worthless…especially compared to “neighbor George’s”, it will help.

  57. Joe c….also check on assessment…do they mention buildings? outbuildings? house? check square footage of these stated and measure for yourself. check to see if they have features correct. — if they list a better quality roof than you have — etc…====== Do they list fencing on this assessment? type of fence? sometimes if your fence is not complete it does not count as fencing. etc—check type of fence listed..maybe it is wrong…maybe you only have rusty worn out barb wire….etc

  58. Jane
    Nothing has change here from 2018 to 2019.
    Nothing has change here since I built the house in 2000.
    What burns like a brush fire is, them accessing my farm property
    over the value in total unfairness, a few years ago, based on assumption, not actual, now my house?
    This crapbag of an accessor needs to be canned.
    And prior to this accessor, a wife of a property appraiser…

    1. Joe c—agree with Livin’ in the Woods comment re this.

      also, re “nothing has changed”…a)doesn’t mean they had it correct in first place b)does not mean they have not “adjusted” a few things to make it seem as if change has happened. Check out all the things mentioned re Livin’ in the Woods and my comments. re farm land, too, the “worse” you can get it listed/noted as (non arable/no good for livestock — possibly due to no grazing grass or too many rocks or too many gopher holes etc) the lower taxes should be. etc.

  59. Joe C. We have gone back and forth with different assessors over the years. I have caught them charging for out buildings that didn’t exist, they had my single story cabin built on posts listed as a 1 1/2 story house with a basement etc. Anyhoos I spent a couple hours at the county office. I filed a complaint, and demanded their latest satellite photos with a distance legend/scale printing on every photo. We have 3 plots connected. I also got the over view of all the lots in one photo. And zoomed in high resolution pics of each plot. Then I scheduled a meeting with the assessor on our ground. I asked the assessor to point out the non existing buildings that they had been charging me for. They couldn’t find the buildings…..SURPRISE!!! They were also charging at the same rate/multiplier or whatever they called it as if our land was in a sub division rather than what it is. I got most all of it listed as non tillable farmland although some is tillable, we have 3 pipelines cutting thru that section.
    If you have land that is tillable, there used to be a .guv subsidy that paid you to not produce crops on it for a certain period of time. You only had to keep the weeds and over growth in check. You may want to check into homestead exemptions also.
    There is a website Find a lot dot com, that you can put your own laylines on the sat picture and figure distances and or acreage.
    So using their sat photos and my own, I was able to get them to change the rent…..oh…I mean taxes that I now pay. Without going to any county meetings. Don’t give up hope.👍

  60. OH
    Who is John Galt?
    A fictional character we all can read about in books.
    Although a character, many of us would chose to be, but a character actor we can not be in today’s world.
    Our individual ‘strikes’/ ‘protests’ will achieve nothing.
    Even if shtf, your contribution of a good heart to help all/ some, means nothing to those.
    John Galt is basically a nobody, to me in today’s world.
    I dislike being bitter.

    1. Hence why im working for the most money i can get paid legally and just blending in with the masses until the bubble pops

    2. OH
      Sorry for the rant, last night.
      The idea of J Galt is there and always has been. Maybe by a different name, but the same idea.
      But it seems as if the ‘hands tied’ syndrome takes dominance. Not being able to break free of the system. I make do with what we have and continue to struggle to save it.

      1. Joe c:
        NP on the rant, we all go off at times.
        FYI the answer to the question of “who is John Galt”….. You are, and you over there and also you hidding over there.
        The trick is finding that personal drive within ourselves. AND acting on the drive at the right time.

  61. Our place in Alabama; +/- 30Acres, (Zoned Agricultural) with Home 1754 ft2 Living +1754 ft2 Unfinished Basement+ Detached 26’x26′ Garage+Detached 24’x24′ Barn. Property Taxes of $1865/Yr.

    Taxes are evil.

  62. – Hadn’t commented on this subject because I’m still ticked off. 4BR, 3bath, 2 car garage on +/- 1 ac. when FIL passed, per will, house went to daughter (DW). Because of that, BIL became Executor. When we finally got title, found that he hadn’t paid taxes on house from estate since FIL had died, and they weren’t paid then.
    So, I have paid half, and will get them caught up when I can. grrr
    – Papa S.

  63. Old Alaskan, Prepared, Moving the public lands conversation over. Here is a chart showing how much of each state is public (federal, state) land: (nrcm.org/documents/publiclandownership.pdf).
    Biggest numbers are in the West. Was surprised to see that my state, WA, is at only 36% given how much of it is wilderness. Then I found out that Weyerhaeuser, a forestry company owns nearly as much (12m acres) as is public (15m acres.) And there are lots of forestry companies, especially in my area, that own big chunks. Keeps WA green.
    I don’t like my federal dollars going to pay for “good ideas” that benefit only one state or region. So a big NO to taxing federal lands. Let the folks who live and vote in that state pay for its programs.

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