6 Cities With the Highest Property Taxes and What You Can Do To Offset the Cost

You might be a resident of a city with some of the highest property taxes in the United States. An October 2023 report from Construction Coverage ranked U.S. metropolitan areas with the highest property taxes. The breakdown covered small and midsize metro areas as well as large metros.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll be highlighting the large metro rankings. Additional property tax details cover the property tax rate percentage for owner-occupied homes, median home value and median household income.  

See if you live in one of the six cities which have the highest property taxes and learn more about what you can do to offset property tax costs.

• Effective property tax rate for owner-occupied homes: 1.6%
• Median property taxes paid for owner-occupied homes: $5,106

According to data from Construction Coverage, the median owner-occupied home value is $294,900 in these three Texas cities. The median household income is $75,975.

Texas does not have state property tax. To receive an exemption, the Texas Comptroller website said property owners need to apply for property tax exemptions and file these applications with the appraisal district in the country where their property is located. The general filing deadline is May 1.

• Effective property tax rate for owner-occupied homes: 1.7%
• Median property taxes paid for owner-occupied homes: $3,264

In Cleveland and Elyria, the median owner-occupied home value is $184,500. The median household income in these two Ohio cities is $62,315.

According to the Lorain County Auditor website, qualifying Lorain County residents may be eligible for The Homestead Exemption. Said residents would be able to shield some of their home’s market value from taxation and receive a credit on property tax bills. These savings vary depending on the taxing district, but the Lorain County Auditor website said the amount is generally $400 to $450 annually.

• Effective property tax rate for owner-occupied homes: 1.8%
• Median property taxes paid for owner-occupied homes: $4,145

The median owner-occupied home value for those who live in Buffalo or Cheektowaga is $192,000. The median household income for residents in these New York cities is $62,794.

According to the City of Buffalo, New York’s website, there are several types of real property tax exemptions available with various savings potential. The Senior Citizen Exemption, for example, offers eligible owners the opportunity to save up to 50%. 

A full detailed list of exemptions is available on the City of Buffalo website. The filing deadline is Dec. 1.

• Effective property tax rate for owner-occupied homes: 1.9%
• Median property taxes paid for owner-occupied homes: $5,776

The median owner-occupied home value is $281,100 in Chicago, Naperville and Elgin. The median household income is $78,166 for residents in these three cities.

There are several property tax exemptions outlined on the Cook County Assessor’s Office website. Some of these include a homeowner exemption, senior exemption, persons with disabilities exemption and a few more exemptions which provide eligible homeowners savings to help lower their property tax bill. 

Additional details regarding the application process are included alongside each exemption type such as due dates to file and applicable tax years where savings may be redeemed for missing exemptions.

• Effective property tax rate for owner-occupied homes: 1.9%
• Median property taxes paid for owner-occupied homes: $5,843

The median owner-occupied home value for residents in these Connecticut cities is $278,500. The median household income is the highest of the areas on this list at $82,258.

While there is some information available about property taxes through the Connecticut Official State website, it is important to note said information is not current and should be used for reference purposes only.

• Effective property tax rate for owner-occupied homes: 2.4%
• Median property taxes paid for owner-occupied homes: $4,586

In Rochester, New York, the median owner-occupied home value is $171,000. The median household income is $66,516.

There are residential (Homestead) property tax exemptions available to eligible property owners in the City of Rochester, according to the City of Rochester’s website. 

The application deadline for eligible owners is Feb. 1. Further information, and application instructions, is available by calling the Bureau of Assessment exemption hotline at (585) 428-6994 or stopping by the office at City Hall, 30 Church St., Room 101A.