
file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, New Jersey once again holds the unenviable title of having the highest property taxes in the United States, according to a recent WalletHub study.
With a median annual property tax bill of $9,413, New Jersey outranks every other state in the nation. For homeowners, this places significant financial strain on housing affordability — especially in densely populated counties like Bergen.
But not all towns are equally impacted.
🏡 Where Are Property Taxes the Highest in the U.S.?
According to data compiled by Realtor.com and WalletHub, here are the top 5 states with the highest median property tax bills:
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New Jersey – $9,413
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New Hampshire – $7,715
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Connecticut – $6,944
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Washington – $6,338
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New York – $6,096
Even high-cost states like California ($5,248) and Massachusetts ($5,142) lag far behind New Jersey in property tax burden.
📊 Full Property Tax Rankings by State
The rankings run the gamut, with Arkansas ($725) and West Virginia ($728) at the bottom of the list, underscoring just how steep New Jersey’s taxes are in comparison. States like Texas and Illinois also have high taxes, but none match the Garden State.
[Full list available above.]
🌆 Looking for Relief? These Bergen County Towns Have the Lowest Property Taxes in 2023
Despite New Jersey’s top ranking, there are pockets of tax relief even within high-cost North Jersey. Based on the most recent data from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (2023), here are the Bergen County municipalities with the lowest average property taxes:
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Teterboro – $2,108
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East Rutherford – $7,509
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Carlstadt – $7,937
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Moonachie – $8,603
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Hackensack – $9,212
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Rochelle Park – $9,284
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Garfield – $9,392
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Mahwah – $9,794
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Cliffside Park – $9,982
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Elmwood Park – $10,001
While still high compared to national averages, these towns offer some of the lowest property tax bills in Bergen County and could be a strategic option for homebuyers looking to stay in North Jersey without breaking the bank.
💬 Why Does NJ Have Such High Property Taxes?
Experts often cite factors like:
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Heavy reliance on local school district funding
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Numerous small municipalities with independent services
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High public employee pension obligations
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The property taxes are high on purpose. It keeps most of Bergen County from turning into Paterson.
does not seem to be working
Not with this new manager from Paterson.
BING!
You ARE rich and stupid!
cut public school funding! students graduate woke and stupid. NJEA spend $45 m on their democratic candidate in the recent primary who came in fifth! Teachers are still paying dues and taxpayer money makes this whole thing stink! Teachers should be complaining but their compliant.
union labor not mentioned….
The problem is the state picking winners and losers in school funding formulas. Mostly it is the glut of Administrator positions over the past 10 years with their bloated salaries. Those administrators provide no support of hard-working teachers and have no meaningful daily interaction with students/parents. We need to start regionalizing school districts to cut that administrative bloat and “consultants.” There are more school districts then there are towns. Leave teachers alone as they make a tremendous impact on our children. The state and admins are screwing this up. time for a change.