Overview of New Jersey Taxes
Homeowners in New Jersey pay the highest property taxes of any state in the country. In fact, rates in some areas are more than double the national average. The average effective property tax rate in New Jersey is 2.26%, compared to the national average of 0.99%.
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About This Answer
To calculate the exact amount of property tax you will owe requires your property's assessed value and the property tax rates based on your property's address. Please note that we can only estimate your property tax based on median property taxes in your area. There are typically multiple rates in a given area, because your state, county, local schools and emergency responders each receive funding partly through these taxes. In our calculator, we take your home value and multiply that by your county's effective property tax rate. This is equal to the median property tax paid as a percentage of the median home value in your county.
New Jersey Property Taxes
Thinking about a move to New Jersey? Keep in mind that homeowners in the Garden State pay some of the highest property taxes in the country. Rates in some areas are more than double the national average.
The average effective property tax rate in New Jersey is 2.26%, compared with a national average of 0.99%. When combined with relatively high statewide property values, the average property tax payment in New Jersey is over $8,700.
Don’t let the high property taxes scare you away from buying a home in New Jersey. If you are looking to purchase a property in the Garden State, or if you want to refinance your current mortgage, check out our mortgage guide for information about New Jersey mortgage rates and other details.
A financial advisor can help you understand how homeownership fits into your overall financial goals. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
How New Jersey Property Taxes Work
Property taxes in New Jersey go entirely to local governments. Bills are paid annually across four installments, which are due on the first of February, May, August and November. The amount a homeowner in New Jersey pays depends primarily on the value of his or her home and the total tax rates among all local tax authorities.
Home value is determined by assessors in New Jersey’s 565 municipalities. Since these assessors may use different techniques, it’s possible that they undervalue or overvalue homes in their district. The New Jersey Division of Taxation offsets this annually by determining an equalization ratio that ensures everyone in a tax district pays their fair share.
New Jersey Property Tax Rates
Property tax rates in New Jersey vary significantly by city and county. Municipalities, counties and school districts all determine their own rates. There may also be additional tax rates that apply for specific purposes such as parks or libraries.
Since assessed values in one city are not necessarily equivalent to assessed values in another, it is useful to look at effective tax rates. The effective tax rate is the amount paid annually as a percentage of home value.
An average effective tax rate presents an indication of the overall level of taxes in an area, but it’s not used to actually calculate individual tax bills. The table below shows the average effective tax rate for every county in New Jersey.
Looking to calculate your potential monthly mortgage payment? Check out our mortgage calculator.
Bergen County
A combination of high property tax rates and high home values in northeast New Jersey’s Bergen County means that the median property tax bill is $8,489. That's the seventh-highest figure of among counties in the state, and it's more than three times the national average.
The average effective property tax rate in Bergen County is about 1.76%, which actually ranks among the lowest in the state. However, in the county’s largest municipalities, the rate is often higher.
Middlesex County
Middlesex County is part of the New York City metropolitan area. The county’s average effective property tax rate of 2.52% is slightly less than the state average. Homeowners here pay just over $8,850 annually in property taxes.
Essex County
Located in northern New Jersey, between Middlesex and Bergen counties, Essex County has one of the highest property tax rates in the state. The average effective rate in Essex County is 2.05%, and its median annual property tax payment surpasses the Census Bureau's cap of $8,100.
Hudson County
With around 700,000 residents, Hudson County is the fourth-most populous county in New Jersey. Property tax rates in Hudson County are below the state average. The countywide average effective rate is 2.17%. At that rate, the taxes on a home worth $300,000 would be $6,510 per year.
Monmouth County
Situated along the Atlantic Coast in central New Jersey, Monmouth County has the fifth-lowest average effective property tax rate of New Jersey’s 21 counties. That rate is just 2.13%. The state's median home value is close to $390,000, which is quite high, and its median annual property tax payment is nearly $8,800.
Ocean County
If you want to buy beachfront property with relatively low property taxes in New Jersey, Ocean County may be the place. The average effective tax rate in the county is 2.09%, second-lowest in the state. Likewise, the median annual property tax payment in the county is $6,004, almost $3,000 below the state average.
Union County
Union County is located northwest of Staten Island, in the New York City metropolitan area. It is the sixth-most populous county in New Jersey. The average effective property tax rate in Union County is 2.03%, among the lowest in the state. A homeowner paying that rate on a home worth $350,000 (about the median home value for the state) would pay $7,105 annually.
Camden County
Buying a home in Camden County? The bad news is that the county’s property tax rates are the highest in the state and one of the highest in the U.S. The county’s average effective property tax rate is 3.70%.
If you have questions about how property taxes can affect your overall financial plans, a financial advisor in Cherry Hill can help you out.
Passaic County
This northern New Jersey county has effective property tax rates that are more than double the national average. The average effective rate in the county is 2.84%. That ranks fourth in the state, and is well above the state average.
Morris County
The median annual property taxes paid by homeowners in Morris County is $10,000, nearly four times the national median. By New Jersey standards, however, property tax rates are not especially high in Morris County. The average effective property tax rate is 2.16%, slightly below the state average.
Property Tax: Which Counties are Getting the Best Bang for Their Buck
SmartAsset’s interactive map highlights the places across the country where property tax dollars are being spent most effectively. Zoom between states and the national map to see the counties getting the biggest bang for their property tax buck.
Methodology
Our study aims to find the places in the United States where people are getting the most for their property tax dollars. To do this we looked at school rankings, crime rates and property taxes for every county.
As a way to measure the quality of schools, we calculated the average math and reading/language arts proficiencies for all the school districts in the country. Within each state, these schools were then ranked between 1 and 10 (with 10 being the best) based on those average scores.
For each county, we calculated the violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents.
Using the school and crime numbers, we calculated a community score. This is the ratio of the school rank to the combined crime rate per 100,000 residents.
We used the number of households, median home value and average property tax rate to calculate a per capita property tax collected for each county.
Finally, we calculated a tax value by creating a ratio of the community score to the per capita property tax paid. This shows us the counties in the country where people are getting the most bang for their buck, or where their property tax dollars are going the furthest.
Sources: US Census Bureau 2014 American Community Survey, Department of Education, Federal Bureau of Investigation, State Police or Justice Department websites
