Middlesex

Forbes: Counties with the Worst Property Taxes

State: Mass.

Median Annual Tax Bills: $4,226

This giant county takes in wealthy Weston and slummy Somerville, the latter municipality having recorded 309 thefts per square mile in 2009.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

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Counties with th... How bad are your property taxes? Maybe not as bad as the ones that provoked this protest in Olympia, Wash., or the ones in our survey of heavily taxed counties. Forbes' Big Tax list shows the leading tax locale in each of ten states. Dollar amounts are median annual tax bills, averaged over 2007-2009.

(Source: U.S. Census data via the Tax Foundation.)

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Nassau County State: N.Y.

Median Annual Tax Bills: $8,478

This county’s tax collections support an amply compensated police force. Check out Long Island Newsday’s roster of cops making between $150,000 and $876,000 last year. There are 1,103 of them.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Hunterdon State: New Jersey

Median Annual Tax Bills: $8,413

Here’s how schools are financed in New Jersey. The state Supreme Court takes note of the discrepancy in SAT scores between wealthy towns and poor cities. It appropriates a large sum to be contributed to the schools in the cities. The effect is to raise property taxes in the rich towns.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Lake State: Illinois

Median Annual Tax Bills: $6,169

This collection of prosperous Chicago suburbs includes Highland Park, noteworthy for being a “city” and for having an extraordinarily high median family income of $138,000. Property tax revenue is boosted by the assessment on Michael Jordan’s 25,000-square-foot manse.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Fairfield State: Conn.

Median Annual Tax Bills: $6,076

If you’re looking for houses priced at $15 million and up, check out Greenwich, where Zillow lists 15 for sale. One, for example, is a three-bedroom with a $22.5 million asking price and a $52,400 tax bill. At the other end of the county is not so ritzy Bridgeport.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Rockingham State: N.H.

Median Annual Tax Bills: $5,160

This county is noted for its beautiful shore, the Seabrook nuke and the pampered pupils at Phillips Exeter.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Marin State: Calif.

Median Annual Tax Bills: $5,026

Marin combines big bank balances and liberal politics. It voted overwhelmingly against the anti-gay Proposition 8 that carried the rest of the state.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Loudoun State: Va.

Median Annual Tax Bills: $4,848

In the space of a generation Loudoun has quadrupled in population. Two reasons it is thriving: proximity to Dulles Airport and attachment to the thriving Washington, D.C. economy of favor seekers.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Bristol State: R.I.

Median Annual Tax Bills: $4,374

This microscopic county has some nice homes on the water. You can buy one on Nayatt Point, a five-bedroom on an acre lot with views, for a mere $1.6 million. But you’ll be clobbered by a $36,500 property tax bill.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Collin State: Texas

Median Annual Tax Bills: $4,227

This spot sports steep property taxes because (a) it’s home to many of the Dallas area fat cats and (b) Texas shares New Jersey’s Robin Hood system of school finance.

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The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Middlesex State: Mass.

Median Annual Tax Bills: $4,226

This giant county takes in wealthy Weston and slummy Somerville, the latter municipality having recorded 309 thefts per square mile in 2009.

(Forbes Image)

More From Forbes:
15 Silliest Uses Of Taxpayer Money
10 Common Money Wasters
America’s Millionaire Capitals

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
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