ORLANDO, Fla. – A new report by WalletHub reveals which states have the best real-estate property tax rates.
However, Florida doesn’t even come close to the top of this year’s ranking.
The study takes into account effective tax rates, home values, and annual taxes on homes priced at the median value for each state.
“Some states charge no property taxes at all, while others charge an arm and a leg,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo writes. “Americans who are considering moving and want to maximize the amount of money they take home should take into account property tax rates, in addition to other financial factors like the overall cost of living, when deciding on a city.”
Overall, the top-ranked state was Hawaii, with a measly 0.27% effective tax rate — just over one-third of Florida’s, which sits at 0.76%.
Combined with those other factors, the Sunshine State ended up all the way down at No. 24.
[Check out WalletHub’s full map below]
That said, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been vocal about his desire to see property taxes in Florida slashed.
While proponents of the idea like DeSantis argue that it’s unfair to tax homeowners on their property, opponents posit that it will leave local governments unable to properly fund public services.
DeSantis has argued that state surpluses can help to fill in any funding gaps at the local level, and he’s pushed for audits of major counties and cities to identify where these local governments can cut back on spending.
While these audits have caused the state to butt heads with local officials at times, it’s prompted legislation in the House that aims to fulfill DeSantis’ overarching goals.
[BELOW: Florida House gives final OK to property tax cuts. Here’s what happens next]
That bill — HJR 203 — would amend the state constitution to exempt all homestead properties from non-school property taxes starting on Jan. 1, 2027.
While the House has already passed the bill, it will still need to go through the state Senate, and with less than a month remaining in the regular session, the proposal still has several hurdles to clear.
That said, DeSantis announced last week that he’s working with state Senators to get a proposal approved.
Regarding a property tax proposal for the 2026 ballot: we’ve been working with members of the Senate who have been great partners.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) February 19, 2026
Given that it can’t be voted on by the people before November, it’s better to do it right than do it quick!
If HJR 203 does manage to get through the Senate, it will go to the ballot for the general election in November, where it will need to receive at least 60% of support from voters to survive.
And if it gets that far, the amendment is slated to take effect next year.
Meanwhile, WalletHub’s full ranking is as follows:
| Rank | State | Effective Tax Rate | Annual Taxes on $332.7K Home | State Median Home Value | Annual Taxes on Home Priced at State Median Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 0.27% | $888 | $839,100 | $2,239 |
| 2 | Alabama | 0.38% | $1,249 | $209,900 | $788 |
| 3 | Nevada | 0.47% | $1,549 | $435,400 | $2,027 |
| 4 | Arizona | 0.48% | $1,585 | $394,500 | $1,879 |
| 4 | Colorado | 0.48% | $1,605 | $539,400 | $2,602 |
| 4 | South Carolina | 0.48% | $1,607 | $259,000 | $1,251 |
| 7 | Idaho | 0.49% | $1,620 | $418,600 | $2,038 |
| 8 | Delaware | 0.50% | $1,671 | $352,000 | $1,768 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 0.50% | $1,673 | $286,700 | $1,442 |
| 10 | Utah | 0.52% | $1,717 | $489,400 | $2,525 |
| 11 | West Virginia | 0.53% | $1,770 | $162,600 | $865 |
| 12 | Louisiana | 0.55% | $1,813 | $216,500 | $1,180 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 0.55% | $1,840 | $188,000 | $1,040 |
| 14 | Wyoming | 0.57% | $1,898 | $309,700 | $1,767 |
| 15 | Washington, D.C. | 0.58% | $1,946 | $737,100 | $4,312 |
| 16 | North Carolina | 0.66% | $2,183 | $288,900 | $1,896 |
| 17 | New Mexico | 0.70% | $2,321 | $248,100 | $1,731 |
| 17 | California | 0.70% | $2,320 | $734,700 | $5,124 |
| 19 | Montana | 0.72% | $2,384 | $375,800 | $2,693 |
| 19 | Mississippi | 0.72% | $2,381 | $169,800 | $1,215 |
| 21 | Virginia | 0.73% | $2,419 | $383,700 | $2,790 |
| 22 | Indiana | 0.74% | $2,461 | $218,200 | $1,614 |
| 23 | Kentucky | 0.75% | $2,498 | $205,600 | $1,544 |
| 24 | Florida | 0.76% | $2,530 | $359,000 | $2,730 |
| 25 | Georgia | 0.77% | $2,568 | $303,300 | $2,341 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | 0.80% | $2,663 | $199,800 | $1,599 |
| 27 | Oregon | 0.81% | $2,700 | $477,600 | $3,876 |
| 27 | Washington | 0.81% | $2,685 | $564,600 | $4,556 |
| 29 | Missouri | 0.85% | $2,814 | $230,300 | $1,948 |
| 30 | Maryland | 0.97% | $3,243 | $419,900 | $4,093 |
| 31 | North Dakota | 0.99% | $3,286 | $249,900 | $2,468 |
| 32 | Minnesota | 1.02% | $3,392 | $329,300 | $3,357 |
| 32 | Maine | 1.02% | $3,406 | $296,600 | $3,036 |
| 34 | South Dakota | 1.06% | $3,521 | $257,400 | $2,724 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | 1.07% | $3,547 | $562,100 | $5,992 |
| 36 | Alaska | 1.11% | $3,678 | $352,900 | $3,901 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | 1.21% | $4,033 | $404,200 | $4,900 |
| 38 | Michigan | 1.25% | $4,172 | $231,600 | $2,904 |
| 39 | Kansas | 1.29% | $4,286 | $217,200 | $2,798 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | 1.30% | $4,328 | $254,500 | $3,311 |
| 41 | Ohio | 1.31% | $4,371 | $214,800 | $2,822 |
| 42 | Iowa | 1.39% | $4,634 | $208,000 | $2,897 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | 1.42% | $4,734 | $266,500 | $3,549 |
| 44 | Nebraska | 1.49% | $4,949 | $238,600 | $3,549 |
| 44 | Texas | 1.49% | $4,961 | $283,800 | $4,232 |
| 46 | New York | 1.55% | $5,167 | $423,800 | $6,582 |
| 47 | Vermont | 1.59% | $5,295 | $316,600 | $5,039 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | 1.66% | $5,511 | $402,500 | $6,667 |
| 49 | Connecticut | 1.81% | $6,024 | $366,900 | $6,643 |
| 50 | Illinois | 2.01% | $6,694 | $263,300 | $5,298 |
| 51 | New Jersey | 2.11% | $7,022 | $454,400 | $9,590 |
*$332,700 is the median home value in the U.S. as of 2024, the year of the most recent available data.