Essex County homeowners shouldered the steepest property taxes in New Jersey during 2025. Bills averaged $14,460 on houses valued at $494,335. That topped every other county and pushed past the Garden State average of $10,570 on houses assessed at $405,153.
Numbers from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs confirmed the county’s first-place finish for tax burden, according to patch.com. These figures show bills before credits or deductions kicked in.
But rankings shift when you examine effective tax rates, which measure what people pay compared to their house’s worth. Towns with pricier houses tend to pay smaller effective rates even when dollar amounts run higher…