U.S. Property Tax Rates Vary Widely by State in 2026, Connecticut Highest, Hawaii Lowest
In 2026, property tax rates across the United States show significant variation, with Connecticut homeowners facing the highest median effective property tax rate at 3.05%, according to Ownwell's data. Conversely, Hawai'i has the lowest rate at 0.31%. The Northeast region dominates the top of the list, with six of the seven highest rates belonging to Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire. Illinois is the only state outside this region in the top seven, with a rate of 2.33%. New Jersey also stands out with the highest median tax bill at $8,638, nearly 14 times higher than West Virginia's lowest median bill of $629. Eighteen states have median effective rates above the national median of 1.27%.
