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California’s effective property-tax rate on owner-occupied housing was 0.70% in 2024, below the 0.90% U.S. average and ranking 32nd among states. That comparison comes from the Tax Foundation’s 2026 analysis of 2024 American Community Survey data. It is an average of property taxes paid divided by owner-occupied housing value—not California’s statutory rate and not a quote for any particular parcel.
Your actual bill can differ substantially from another home’s bill because Proposition 13 limits assessed-value growth and resets the assessment when property changes ownership. To compare a move fairly, use the same year, denominator, property type and local context for every state.
How do California property taxes compare with other states?
The most recent common-year comparison in the Tax Foundation’s Property Taxes by State and County, 2026 uses 2024 estimates. Its effective rate measures total real property taxes paid divided by the value of owner-occupied housing. California’s 0.70% rate is lower than the national 0.90% reference point.
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|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | 1.88% | Highest among states in this owner-occupied-housing series |
| Illinois | 1.88% | Tied for highest |
| United States | 0.90% | National reference average |
| California | 0.70% | 32nd among states |
| Hawaii | 0.29% | Lowest among states in this series |
For additional context, Texas measured 1.40%, Florida 0.78% and Nevada 0.50% in the same 2024 comparison. A lower percentage does not automatically mean lower housing costs or a lower total tax burden: home prices, assessed values, local charges and other state and local taxes still matter.
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What does California’s 0.70% effective rate actually mean?
An effective rate is a calculated ratio, not the number printed in a county tax bill. The Tax Foundation calculated it from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey datasets B25082 and B25090. The numerator is real property taxes paid; the denominator is owner-occupied housing value.
- It covers owner-occupied homes rather than every property taxpayer.
- It excludes taxes paid by businesses, renters and other property owners.
- It is a statewide average, so it does not represent a statutory statewide rate or an individual parcel’s rate.
- The figures are for 2024, even though the comparison page was published on March 16, 2026.
Different denominators answer different questions. A calculation based on property-tax collections per resident or as a share of personal income can produce a different ranking because it covers a different taxpayer population and tax base. Do not combine one state’s homeowner effective rate with another state’s collections-to-income measure.
Why can two similar California homes have different tax bills?
Proposition 13, approved by California voters in 1978, governs the main assessment rules. The Tax Foundation’s explanation in California Proposition 15: Split Roll Property Tax Initiative describes two central limits:
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- The property-tax rate is limited to 1% of assessed value for residential and commercial property, subject to the system’s applicable local rules.
- Assessed value generally may increase by no more than 2% per year while the property remains under the same ownership.
When a property is sold, its assessment is generally reset to the new purchase price, after which the annual growth limit applies again. As a result, a longtime owner and a recent buyer in neighboring, similarly priced homes can have very different assessed values and bills. The 0.70% statewide effective rate averages across those histories; it does not reveal either owner’s assessment.
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Assessment limits, rate limits and levy limits are different
The Tax Foundation’s Property Taxes Guide: Property Tax Assessment separates three kinds of restrictions:
- Assessment limits restrict how quickly an individual property’s taxable value can grow.
- Rate limits cap the tax rate or millage applied to assessed value.
- Levy limits restrict the total amount a government may collect from its tax base.
California is identified as having assessment and rate limits. Policy analysis of assessment caps finds that they can shift a larger share of the burden toward newer properties or properties that have changed ownership, and may discourage moving or some improvements. Those are system-level effects, not a prediction that every homeowner experiences the same result.
Does California have high property taxes?
On the 2024 owner-occupied effective-rate measure, California is below the national average and far below the two states tied at 1.88%. That supports calling California’s average homeowner rate relatively low in this particular comparison. It does not support calling every California bill low.
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A household’s bill depends on the property’s assessed value and jurisdiction. A high-value home with a recent purchase assessment can produce a larger dollar bill than a lower-value home in a state with a higher percentage. Conversely, a long-held California home may have a much lower assessment than its current market value because of the annual growth limit.
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What state has the highest property taxes?
In the Tax Foundation’s 2024 effective-rate series for owner-occupied housing, New Jersey and Illinois are tied for highest at 1.88%. Hawaii is lowest at 0.29%. These answers apply only to this defined measure and year; rankings can change when the year, denominator, property class or tax-collection measure changes.
For a meaningful comparison, report the measure alongside the ranking. “Highest property taxes” could instead mean the highest median bill, the highest tax per resident, the largest share of personal income, or the highest rate on a particular commercial or residential class. Those are not interchangeable statistics.
Why property taxes matter for local services
Property taxes are levied primarily by local governments and finance services such as K–12 schools, roads, police, fire protection, emergency medical services and parks. The Tax Foundation reports that, in fiscal year 2023, property taxes represented 28.9% of total state and local tax collections nationally and 70.0% of local tax collections.
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This local role explains why a state with a lower average rate may still have substantial property-tax bills: the tax supports services selected and financed at the county, city, school-district and other local levels.
How much property tax would you pay if you moved?
A statewide effective rate can provide a first-pass estimate, but it cannot calculate a buyer’s bill. For an illustration only, applying 0.70% to an $800,000 home value gives $5,600 per year. That multiplication is not a California tax quote: the published rate is an average, while an individual bill is based on assessed value and local rules.
Use this comparison workflow
- Define the property. Decide whether you are comparing an owner-occupied home, a rental, a second home, commercial property or another class. The 0.70% figure applies to owner-occupied housing.
- Use one common year. The latest common-year series here is 2024. Do not compare a 2024 California estimate with an older figure from another state.
- Record the denominator. Note whether each number uses housing value, assessed value, median bill, personal income or per-capita collections.
- Check assessment rules. Find out whether the destination limits assessment growth, caps rates or limits total levies. Confirm how a purchase, inheritance, renovation or change of use affects reassessment.
- Estimate the local bill. Obtain the county or city’s current assessed-value rules and applicable rate information for the specific address. A statewide average is not a substitute for that calculation.
- Add the rest of the budget. Compare home prices, insurance, income and sales taxes, utility costs, transportation and the local services funded by property taxes.
Why a rate comparison is not a complete moving decision
California’s 0.70% effective rate is calculated against housing value, so it partly reflects the relationship between taxes and home prices. Two states can have similar percentages but very different median homes and dollar bills. A state with a lower rate can cost more in dollars if the home is substantially more expensive.
Local service levels and revenue structures also differ. A lower tax rate may coincide with greater reliance on sales taxes, income taxes, fees or special districts. Compare the full state and local tax mix rather than treating property tax as the entire cost of living.
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How to read future updates
The Tax Foundation’s comparison uses ACS data and will change when a newer common-year estimate is released. When checking an updated table, verify:
- the ACS year and publication date;
- whether the measure is still owner-occupied effective rate;
- the numerator and denominator used;
- which property owners are excluded; and
- whether the ranking is being compared with the same definition in every state.
The source page also provides county median bill and housing-value estimates. Those local figures can be more useful than a statewide percentage when you already know the county where you may buy, but they still require careful attention to the stated geography and definition.
What to do if your California assessment seems wrong
If your concern is an individual assessment rather than a state comparison, start with the county assessor’s notice and appeal process. Gather the purchase documents, assessor record, comparable property information and any evidence that the assessed value does not follow the applicable rules. Deadlines and procedures are set locally, so confirm them with the relevant county office. A statewide effective-rate ranking cannot resolve a parcel-specific dispute.
For a broader explanation of assessment limits and reform options, see the Tax Foundation’s Property Tax Relief & Reform: Details & Analysis, which cites the Census Bureau’s 2021 local-finance survey.
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