If you enjoy checking out books from the library, have a child that goes to public school, or feel confident relying on your local fire department or sewer system (among many other services), you are using services that are often partially funded by property taxes.
Property taxes are levied on real property, such as homes, commercial buildings, and land, as well as personal property, which can include cars, bank accounts, and stocks and bonds. All states and Washington, DC, collect property taxes.
The amount of property tax a person owes, or the property tax rate, depends on the property’s value. And in the US, property tax rates also vary by state, county, and municipality.
Using data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, USAFacts examined Americans’ property tax burdens — the proportion of their personal income paid in state and local property taxes. (See the full report on US tax burdens here.)
