How Much Does Your State Collect in Property Taxes per Capita?

by Janelle Cammenga, Tax Foundation, March 11, 2020

Property taxes are an important source of revenue for local and state governments. In fiscal year (FY) 2017 (the most recent year of data available), property taxes generated 31.9 percent of total U.S. state and local tax collections and 72.1 percent of local tax collections. Local governments rely heavily on property taxes to fund schools, roads, police departments, and fire and emergency medical services, as well as other services associated with residency or property ownership.

On average, state and local governments collected $1,617 per capita in property taxes nationwide in FY 2017, but collections vary widely from state to state. The highest state and local property tax collections per capita are found in the District of Columbia ($3,496), followed by New Hampshire ($3,307), New Jersey ($3,276), Connecticut ($3,020), New York ($2,902), and Vermont ($2,670). The lowest collections per capita are found in Alabama ($582), Oklahoma ($730), Arkansas ($740), New Mexico ($792), and Kentucky ($831).