New Jersey has the highest average effective property tax rate in the United States. Current estimates (2025-2026) put it at roughly 2.2%-2.4% (Tax Foundation-based trackers commonly cite ~2.23%; a WalletHub-style owner-occupied-housing-value measure shows ~1.88%; some 2026 aggregators cite as high as 2.42%). Regardless of the exact methodology, every source agrees NJ's effective rate is more than double the ~0.99% national average, and NJ has held the #1 spot nationally for years. There is enormous regional variation: high-rate/lower-value counties like Camden (~3.08%) and Salem (~3.03%) sit well above lower-rate/higher-value counties like Bergen (~1.69%) and Morris (~1.80%) — the well-known NJ "tax paradox" where higher rates don't always mean higher total dollar bills.
Example: New Jersey's statewide AVERAGE property tax bill crossed $10,000 for the first time in 2025, hitting $10,095, then rose about 5% to roughly $10,570 in the most recent reporting (per NJ Division of Taxation data as covered by NJ1015/nj.com-affiliated outlets). New Jersey is the only U.S. state where the average bill exceeds $10,000/year — the next-highest state, New Hampshire, averages about $7,715. Bills vary hugely by county/town: county averages range from roughly $5,500 (Salem County, lowest) to over $14,000 (Bergen County) and even luxury towns like Allenhurst averaging near $20,000.
Figures vary somewhat by source/methodology (Tax Foundation vs. WalletHub vs. state DOT data) and NJ property tax data updates frequently as municipalities finalize annual budgets, so treat the ~2.2-2.4% effective rate and ~$10,095-$10,570 average bill as a current directional range rather than a single precise figure. Practical tip: NJ property taxes are set and billed at the municipal (not state) level, so actual bills depend heavily on the specific town/county — always check the local municipal tax assessor or the NJ Division of Taxation's General Tax Rates data for a specific address rather than relying on statewide averages alone. Also note ANCHOR, Senior Freeze, and Stay NJ are now filed together via the combined PAS-1 application.
Facts on this page reflect research current as of 2026-07-05. Programs, rates, and laws change — confirm current figures with the relevant state agency before relying on them.