10 Worst Cities in America for Property Taxes

Paying off a mortgage is a milestone, but the property tax bill never goes away. For retirees on fixed incomes, that bill can be the biggest housing cost left. To find where it bites hardest, our team at FinanceBuzz compared median property tax bills with median home values across more than 600 U.S. cities, using 2024 U.S. Census data for both. All figures are city-level, and your own bill could differ based on your assessment and any exemptions you qualify for.

Editor's note: Tax and home value figures come from U.S. Census Bureau 2024 American Community Survey data included in FinanceBuzz's cities study.

East Orange, New Jersey

• Effective property tax rate: 2.67%
• Median annual property tax bill: $9,962
• Median home value: $372,600

East Orange has the highest measurable effective property tax rate of any city in our analysis. The typical owner pays about $2,674 a year for every $100,000 of home value. The median home here is worth only about $12,000 more than the national median of $360,600, but the median tax bill is close to $10,000.

Current market values are higher, too. Zillow puts the average home value at roughly $474,800 as of December 2025, and applying the city's effective rate to that figure points to a bill of about $12,700 a year. Retirees could get some relief from New Jersey's ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, and Stay NJ programs, which all run through a single state application.

Paterson, New Jersey

• Effective property tax rate: 2.58% or higher
• Median annual property tax bill: $10,000 or more
• Median home value: $387,400

The Census Bureau caps reported tax bills at $10,000, and Paterson's median bill hits that cap. That means the true median bill, and the true rate, are likely higher than what's shown here. Even at the floor, a homeowner pays at least $2,582 a year per $100,000 of value.

That's a heavy load in a city where per capita mean income is about $24,600, well below the national figure of roughly $45,300. Stay NJ, which is for homeowners 65 and older, reimburses part of the property tax bill. The state's FAQ says the total from all of its relief programs combined can't exceed the taxes you actually paid on your principal residence.

Peoria, Illinois

• Effective property tax rate: 2.40%
• Median annual property tax bill: $4,263
• Median home value: $177,900

Peoria proves a high rate can hurt even when homes are cheap. The median home here is worth less than half the national median, but owners still pay about $2,396 a year per $100,000 of value. That adds up to a median bill of $4,263, which could be a real squeeze on a fixed income.

Illinois offers several state-level exemptions that may help. Outside the Chicago area, the general homestead exemption can reduce a home's equalized assessed value by up to $6,000, and the Senior Citizens Homestead Exemption takes off up to another $5,000. Seniors with household income of $75,000 or less for tax year 2026 may also qualify for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze.

Bolingbrook, Illinois

• Effective property tax rate: 2.33%
• Median annual property tax bill: $7,780
• Median home value: $334,000

Bolingbrook is a Chicago-area village that sits mostly in Will County. Its median tax bill of $7,780 is nearly double Peoria's. Owners here pay roughly $2,329 a year per $100,000 of home value, so a move to a slightly bigger house could add a noticeable amount to your annual bill.

Because Will County borders Cook County, the exemption amounts are larger here than in downstate Illinois. The general homestead exemption can reach $8,000 of equalized assessed value, and the senior exemption can also reach $8,000. Illinois also runs a Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Program, which works like a loan against your home equity that's repaid when the home is sold.

Schenectady, New York

• Effective property tax rate: 2.27%
• Median annual property tax bill: $5,031
• Median home value: $222,100

Schenectady, a Capital Region city near Albany, pairs moderate home prices with steep taxes. The median owner pays about $2,265 a year for each $100,000 of value. Zillow's December 2025 average home value of about $318,600 is well above the Census median, which suggests a recent buyer could face a bill closer to $7,200 if the effective rate holds.

New York's main state program for older owners is Enhanced STAR, which lowers school taxes. For 2026 benefits, at least one resident owner must be 65 or older by December 31, and the combined income of resident owners and their spouses must be $110,750 or less.

New Britain, Connecticut

• Effective property tax rate: 2.26%
• Median annual property tax bill: $6,069
• Median home value: $268,200

New Britain, a small city southwest of Hartford, has a median home value that's well below the national median. Its median tax bill of $6,069, though, is among the highest in our ranking outside New Jersey and the Chicago suburbs. That works out to roughly $2,263 a year per $100,000 of value.

For older homeowners, Connecticut's Homeowners' Elderly/Disabled Circuit Breaker Tax Relief Program offers a credit of up to $1,250 for married couples and $1,000 for single filers, based on income. You apply through the local assessor's office between Feb. 1 and May 15, and the credit is applied directly to your property tax bill.

Cheektowaga, New York

• Effective property tax rate: 2.21%
• Median annual property tax bill: $4,852
• Median home value: $219,500

Cheektowaga, a Buffalo suburb in Erie County, has the largest share of older residents on our list. About 19% of residents are 65 or older, and roughly 25.5% of households have retirement income. That makes its $4,852 median tax bill especially relevant for retirees who plan to stay in their homes.

Homes here are modestly priced at a median value of $219,500, but the effective rate of 2.21% means owners pay about $2,210 a year per $100,000 of value. Enhanced STAR could trim the school portion of the bill for qualifying seniors, and it's worth asking the local assessor about any additional senior exemptions.

Lansing, Michigan

• Effective property tax rate: 2.07%
• Median annual property tax bill: $2,960
• Median home value: $142,800

Michigan's capital has the lowest median tax bill in our top 10 at $2,960. That's mainly because homes are inexpensive, with a median value of just $142,800. The rate is still high, though, at roughly $2,073 a year per $100,000 of value, so the bill could climb quickly as home values rise.

Michigan's Homestead Property Tax Credit, claimed on the state income tax return, can help qualifying homeowners and renters cover part of their property taxes. The state treasury says the credit can be filed up to four years after the year it could first be claimed, which may help seniors who missed it in past years.

Waterbury, Connecticut

• Effective property tax rate: 2.06%
• Median annual property tax bill: $5,130
• Median home value: $248,500

Waterbury, a former brass manufacturing hub in western Connecticut, is the second city in the state on our list. The median homeowner pays $5,130 a year, or about $2,064 per $100,000 of home value. Zillow's average home value of about $276,400 suggests a typical recent purchase could carry a bill of roughly $5,700.

Waterbury's median rent of $1,305 a month is a bit lower than New Britain's, which could make renting a reasonable alternative to buying. Homeowners 65 and older may qualify for the state's circuit breaker credit, and some Connecticut towns offer their own local senior tax relief on top of it.

Racine, Wisconsin

• Effective property tax rate: 2.01%
• Median annual property tax bill: $3,471
• Median home value: $173,100

Racine sits on Lake Michigan between Milwaukee and Chicago and rounds out our list with an effective rate just above 2%. Owners pay about $2,005 a year per $100,000 of value, for a median bill of $3,471. About 26.1% of households here have retirement income, one of the higher shares in our top 10.

Wisconsin's lottery and gaming credit lowers property tax bills on owner-occupied primary homes. The state estimated the average credit at $213 on December 2024 tax bills. If the credit doesn't appear on your bill, you can apply to your municipal treasurer by Jan. 31.

Bottom line

High property tax burdens cluster in the Northeast and Midwest, especially in New Jersey, Illinois, New York, and Connecticut. And a cheap house doesn't guarantee a cheap tax bill. In Peoria, Lansing, and Racine, median home values sit well below the national median, but owners still pay more than $2,000 a year for every $100,000 of value.

Because your bill is tied to your home's assessed value, it's worth checking that assessment every year. If it looks high compared with similar homes nearby, most local assessors offer an appeal process, and many senior exemptions and freezes only apply if you file. Check your financial fitness before you buy anywhere on this list, and ask for the property's actual tax bill and find out which exemptions you could claim.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.