The average Arlington County homeowner paid $4,341 in annual property taxes between 2005 and 2009. That makes Arlington 39th on the list of highest median property taxes in the country, according to a new report by the Tax Foundation, a D.C.-based think tank.
While that figure is relatively high, Arlington’s taxes are relatively low by other measures. Arlington residents paid a median 3.46 percent of their income in property taxes, which is only the 328th highest rate in the country. The percentage of one’s home value paid in property taxes by Arlington residents between 2005 and 2009 was 0.77 percent, the 1523th highest rate in the country.
By contrast, Fairfax County was 37th on the property tax list, with an median property tax bill of $4,371 per year — $30 above Arlington. The difference is a bit more pronounced when considering the tax rate. Fairfax County homeowners paid 0.84 percent of their home’s value and 3.53 percent of their income in property taxes.
Alexandria residents paid less in property taxes — $3,827 per year — but actually paid more as a percentage of home value — 0.78 percent. In terms of income, however, Alexandria residents paid less than Arlington — 3.33 percent of income.
Montgomery County residents paid less than Arlington residents in all three categories. They paid $3,497 in property taxes, which is 0.72 percent of home values and 3.07 percent of income. D.C. residents had the best deal — an average of $1,778 paid in property taxes per year, which is 0.4 percent of home values and 1.9 percent of income.
The title of highest property taxes in the country belongs to Hunterdon County, N.J., where residents pay a median $8,216 per year in property taxes. Passaic County, N.J. pays a median of 8.44 percent of household income in property taxes, making it number one by that measure. Orleans County, N.Y. is number one for highest percentage of home value, at 3.05 percent.
Arlington’s property tax rate has gone up since the years that the Tax Foundation studied, and now stands at 0.958 percent.
(Of note: Like the Heritage Foundation Reason Magazine, the Tax Foundation has its own music video from ‘Arlington Rap’ guy Remy Munasifi.)