California is first in many things, but fortunately we rate 17th when it comes to property taxes. The effective real estate tax rate in California is .81%. Hawaii’s is the lowest at .028 and New Jersey carries a whopping2.29%.
Property taxes are insignificant to some and the bane of others’ existence. The average American household spends $2,127 on property taxes for their homes each year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and residents of the 27 states with vehicle property taxes shell out another $412. Considering these figures and the debt-fueled environment to which we have grown so accustomed, it should come as no surprise that roughly $11.8 billion in property taxes go unpaid each year, the National Tax Lien Association has found.
And though property taxes might appear to be a non-issue for the 32 percent of people who rent their homes, that couldn’t be further from the truth. We all pay property taxes, whether directly or indirectly, as they impact the rent we pay as well as the finances of state and local governments.
Click through for this information from John Keiran in graph form.