Property Tax Calculator (Pro) United States

What the property tax calculator does

Enter the value of a home and pick a state, and the calculator estimates the annual and monthly property tax and shows the effective rate it used. It then ranks all fifty states plus the District of Columbia by the tax that same home would pay there. It is useful if you are buying, budgeting for a home, or thinking about moving.

This is a Pro tool. The ranked comparison and the rate table behind it are calculated on our server.

How the estimate is calculated

The annual property tax is the home value multiplied by the state's effective property tax rate. If a home is worth $400,000 and the state's effective rate is 1.89%, the estimated annual tax is $400,000 × 1.89 ÷ 100, which is $7,560. Divided by twelve, that is roughly $630 a month, the amount a lender would typically collect into an escrow account with the mortgage payment.

The effective rate shown is the one used in the calculation. Every state in the ranked table is run against the same home value, so the only thing that changes from row to row is the rate.

Effective rates versus local rates

The rates are statewide effective averages for median owner-occupied homes, computed from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey: median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. An effective rate is tax actually paid as a share of home value, which makes it more useful for comparison than a raw mill rate applied to an assessed value that may sit well below market price.

Statewide averages hide a lot of local variation. Property tax in the United States is set by counties, cities and school districts, and two identical homes in the same state can face noticeably different bills depending on which side of a district line they sit. A growing suburb with new schools may tax far more heavily than a rural county in the same state. Use the figure as a planning estimate and confirm the rate for a specific address with the county assessor.

Reading the state comparison table

The table lists every state and the District of Columbia, shows each one's effective rate, and reports the tax the home you entered would pay there, sorted from the cheapest jurisdiction to the most expensive.

At one end are states such as Hawaii, where a low effective rate keeps the bill on a $400,000 home near a thousand dollars a year. High-tax states can charge several times that on the same home. A state with no personal income tax is not automatically cheap, because it may raise more revenue through property tax.

A worked example

Suppose you are comparing a $400,000 home in two states. In New Jersey, with an effective rate of 1.89%, the calculator estimates $7,560 a year, about $630 a month. In Hawaii, with an effective rate of 0.27%, the same home comes to $1,080 a year, under $100 a month. That is a difference of more than $6,000 every year on the same property.

The ranked table shows whether a location you are considering sits near the top, the bottom or the middle of the national range. If you are weighing a job offer in another state or choosing between two regions, that annual difference repeats every year and can outweigh differences in list price.

Using the results

Property tax is one of the largest recurring costs of owning a home, and unlike a mortgage it never gets paid off. Add the monthly figure to an affordability calculation alongside the mortgage payment, insurance and maintenance.

Use the tool for comparison and planning, not as a final bill. Once you have chosen a specific home, confirm the local rate and any exemptions, such as homestead relief, with the county assessor, and check the numbers with a qualified tax professional who can account for your full situation.

This is general information only and not financial or tax advice.

About This Property Tax Calculator

Use this property tax calculator to get an instant, accurate estimate. The figures follow official guidance and every rate and threshold is kept up to date for 2026. Adjust the inputs above to match your situation, or browse all our calculators to plan your next step.