Tax Relief: The 20 Places With the Lowest Property Taxes in the Country

Property Taxes in the US

In some parts of the United States, the typical homeowner pays over $10,000 per year in property taxes — but there are just as many places where the median tax bill is under $300 annually.

The Factors That Influence Property Taxes

Property taxes are charged at the local and state level, but local property taxes tend to be higher as they fund schools, police departments and other agencies. Therefore, the places in the U.S. with the lowest median property tax bills tend to be counties with a combination of low local tax rates and lower home values.

Local vs. State Property Taxes

Lower property taxes levied by a state government can also help minimize a resident’s property tax bill, but there are some counties that rank in the top 20 for lowest property taxes despite being in states with above-average state-level taxes.

Examples of Low Property Taxes

For example, residents of several counties in Alaska pay less than $200 in property taxes per year even though the state had the 16th highest effective property tax rate (1.07%) in 2022, according to a new report from the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax policy nonprofit.

National Property Tax Trends

Nationwide, the average household’s property taxes in 2022 were $1,815. According to a separate report, property taxes increased roughly 26% from 2019 to 2023, largely due to rising home values.

Ultra-Low Property Taxes

Ultra-low property taxes can offer a nice break for homeowners, but if a local government lacks funding it may struggle to perform all its functions at a high level.

U.S. Counties with the Lowest Property Taxes

The counties that rank among the lowest for property taxes come from just five states: Alabama, Alaska, Louisiana, North Dakota and West Virginia. Many of the counties are rural, and many of them have lower home values and lower median household incomes than other places do. All have median property tax bills under $300.

Here are the 20 counties with the lowest property taxes, according to the Tax Foundation:

• Copper River Census Area, Alaska
• Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska
• Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska
• Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana
• East Carroll Parish, Louisiana
• West Carroll Parish, Louisiana
• Madison Parish, Louisiana
• Choctaw County, Alabama
• Bienville Parish, Louisiana
• Allen Parish, Louisiana
• Lamar County, Alabama
• Tensas Parish, Louisiana
• Catahoula Parish, Louisiana
• Perry County, Alabama
• Wilcox County, Alabama
• Sioux County, North Dakota
• McDowell County, West Virginia
• Sumter County, Alabama
• Coosa County, Alabama
• East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana