How high are Florida's property taxes compared to other states?
According to Rocket Mortgage, Florida ranked 28th in 2025 in the amount of property tax burden with an effective rate of 0.79 percent.
- Florida's property tax rate ranks 28th nationally, which is lower than many other states.
- Governor Ron DeSantis is considering proposals to reduce or eliminate property taxes on primary residences.
- Property taxes typically fund local services such as schools, road maintenance, and police.
- Any approved property tax relief bill would require a state constitutional amendment approved by voters.
There’s a lot of talk in Florida about cutting or even eliminating property taxes. But are they that high nationally compared to other states? Not really.
According to Rocket Mortgage, Florida ranked 28th in 2025 in the amount of property tax burden with an effective rate of 0.79 percent. Compare that to the 2.23 percent rate paid by the nation’s leading property tax state, New Jersey.
Yet in Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and others are discussing eliminating or reducing the tax on primary residences, which are already eligible for what’s called a homestead exemption. Some tax-cutting proponents want to increase that exemption.
“If you want to have an exemption from that tax for your homestead, you’re going to have an opportunity to do that,” DeSantis said at a recent press conference in Jacksonville. “And I’m confident that it will be something that people will find meaningful.”
What are property taxes?
The perception among many is that because Florida, like some other states, doesn't have a state income tax, the revenue is made up in other taxes, primarily property taxes.
According to Rocket Mortgage, property tax rates are tied to local and state services like public education, road maintenance, police, and more. For example, in states like New Jersey, public schools rely heavily on property taxes.
That explains why New Jersey has the highest tax rate in the nation. In Hawaii, which has the lowest property tax rates, schools aren’t funded by property taxes, so the rate is lower.
Home values also play a part in the amount needed from property taxes. States with higher average home prices, such as Hawaii, can generate the same revenue with a lower property tax rate than states with lower average home values.
Which state pays the most property taxes?
The top five property tax states in 2025 were New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont.
The lowest? Hawaii, Alabama, Colorado, Nevada and South Carolina.
Florida fits right in the middle, along with Georgia and Kentucky.
Why does a property tax cut matter in Florida?
“While the debate continues in Tallahassee, counties are preparing their budgets, providing an important opportunity for citizens to understand how property taxes are invested and what impact any proposal could have on public safety, infrastructure, and quality of life in their communities,” said Florida Association of Counties spokesperson Cragin Mosteller said in a recent statement.
The Florida Legislature is in a special session this week to finish work on the state’s budget. For now, property tax relief is not on the agenda, but DeSantis has said yet another session may be called to address the issue.
What happens next for Florida property taxes?
If lawmakers eventually approve a property tax relief bill, it would be a proposal to amend the state constitution that must be approved by voters in the November election.
DeSantis has repeatedly said there must be an agreement on a proposal before votes can be held.
“You got to get the votes to do it,” DeSantis said. “You got to make sure you have all that lined up.”
Curt Anderson is the Policy and Politics Reporter for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY athttps://tallahassee.com/newsletters.