4 New England States Rank in Top 10 For Highest Property Taxes

If you call New England home and your property tax bill feels like a hitting a huge pothole going 50mph every year—yeah, you’re not imagining things. According to WalletHub’s latest report, the Northeast corner of the U.S. is absolutely crushing it in the “most likely to make you cry over your mortgage” category.

Here’s where the New England states land in the rankings of highest property tax rates, according to WalletHub:

• Connecticut: 4th highest

• New Hampshire: 5th highest

• Vermont: 6th highest

• Rhode Island: 7th highest

• Massachusetts: 17th highest

• Maine: 18th highest

So, yeah—four out of six New England states are in the top 10 for highest property taxes in the country.

Why is it like this? Well, most New England states don’t rake in massive amounts from sales taxes. Talking to you, New Hampshire with your zero sales tax flex. That said, local governments lean hard on property taxes to fund things like schools, roads, and fire departments. It’s not the most fun way to fund stuff, but hey—at least the plows usually show up after a snowstorm. Usually.

In short, if you’re in New England, you likely already know that your tax bill is doing some heavy lifting. Public services don’t pay for themselves, and up here, it’s the property owners who get to foot the bill—whether your house is a lakeside cabin or a fixer-upper with “character.”

Loest property taxes? That award goes to Hawaii. The most beautiful weather and lowest property taxes? Hmmm.... tempting, am I right? Here's how the rest of the country shook out: