There is no such place in the US.
Tax Assessment - OUCH!
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Wagondriver
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There are other factors. My car insurance in Colorado was $2400/yr. In Idaho same insurance is $1300. Same policy, just an address change.
Dana
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Insurance companies just look at the payout statistics... fewer stoned drivers in Idaho vs Colorado?
bonefishpete
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No I would say less insurance fraud.
JOhnH
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Any news regarding your appeal?
donjohnston
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State insurance laws (things like no-fault vs. at-fault), population density, crime rates, insurance fraud rates and statistical claim rates affect the premiums.
Flocker
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My Lender's VREF saved the day.
Albany Tom
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Funny thing about the above, NY doesn't have personal property tax. That state in the graph that shows as the highest tax burden in the country, and it probably is. I don't like the taxes here, but I do like that there's no PP tax. What we have, though, is that they're allowed to double tax real property. So for you house and land there's a county tax, and a school tax, on the same property. Going to two different places. On the positive side though, that system leads to a very inefficient and unequal education system. Sarcasm with that last.
PilotRPI
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There is a sales tax on aircraft in CT, sounds like a few groups tried to fight it but it didn't happen. It is based on weight, so big corporate planes don't have to pay. Convinced me not to move my plane there. Heard it is a reason why flight schools struggle there, would be fun trying to replace an aircraft and having to pay something like 6-7% on top.Connecticut used to have a personal property tax on airplanes, payable to the town where the plane was based. Some years back they eliminated the tax with great fanfare in the name of "tax reduction", and then quietly instituted a required CT aircraft registration sticker with a fee based on gross weight... purchased from and payable the town tax office.
JOhnH
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If Florida, if you sell and buy in one transaction, you only pay the sales/use tax on the difference. And you only pay tax once, not every year. When I bought my first airplane I paid full sales tax on it, even though I bought it for cash from an individual. I sold it and bought my Bonanza through a broker. He was able to put the proceeds of my sale into an escrow account and put it towards my purchase of the Bonanza and I only paid sales tax on the difference.
About a year after I bought my first one (and went to the tax office to get the forms and pay the "use" tax, I got a letter from the tax assessor saying I owed tax. I took my cancelled check, my purchase contract and receipt and copies of the sales tax form and they fixed their books and dropped the new charge.
Dana
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No, the CT sales tax on aircraft is the same as the general sales tax, 6.35%. It's the registration sticker (which replaced the PP tax) that's weight based. But, you can deduct any sales tax you already paid to another jurisdiction from what you owe to CT. If it's higher than 6.35% you're all set, if less you pay the difference.
But, to get the registration sticker for the first time, you have to show that the sales tax was paid. This caused a little hassle when I traded my Hatz for the Parrakeet, but in the end they agreed that since no money changed hands no tax was owed, and gave me the sticker.
tspear
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I am to lazy to look for it. I prefer to look at tax revenue vs GDP by state. This gives you a much clearer perspective of how much a state is using based on the size of the economy.
Depending on where you are in life (working, retired, kids, kind of work, immediate family needing social services....) all have an effect on your tax bill. So you should look at each state carefully.
Or be like me, and say where I am going to move too I just like and I can suck it up even if not optimal.
Tim
pfarber
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Tourists. Its not that hard to figure out where Florida gets its $$$.
Once the gov't started taking taxes it was the start of a never ending battle. Politicians will never stop taking our money.... because there is no pain for them.
SCCutler
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I think there is a bit of misunderstanding here; the appraising authorities, by and large, are charged with providing the highest possible appraisal on taxable property that they can. The model assumes that the majority of taxed persons will grumble, accept it and pay - and that's what happens.
Generally speaking, though, the property owner is entitled to see exactly what the appraisers used as comparables and/or references in arriving at the appraised value, and with that information, you can make a solid presentation as to a fairer valuation. This worked out reasonably well for @kyleb, as it should.
Where I am (Texas), the appraisal districts (which, to the amazement of most who don't know any better, are independent agencies from the county government in the counties in which the property they are appraising is located) vary widely in their approach. For example, in the large urban county where I used to live, the appraisals would come out, be really high, you'd file an appeal and go to a ludicrous three-citizen panel "hearing" at which the assigned appraiser would languidly lay out the palace that they had decided was "comparable" to your property, then you'd (assuming you prepared adequately) present the detailed evidence of why the appraisal was too high, basing it upon a detailed analysis of similarly-situated properties in the area and property condition. Then the three-person panel would either throw you a bone (a modest and wholly-inadequate adjustment), or simply tell you to go play in traffic. At that point you could (1) accept the whipping; (2) go to binding arbitration (not a good choice, for a host of reasons I'll not burden you with here, or (3) sue them in District Court (which few residential owners do because of the expense of so doing).
I got weary of the dance, so sued them some years back. The Appraisal District hired a law firm to defend them, and we conducted discovery, exchanged documents, that sort of thing. A week before trial (at which they had nothing to support their confiscatory appraisal), the Chief Appraiser called me, met me at the house, and made a deal. he also told me that, before I sued them again, I should contact him and see if a deal could be reached. It worked pretty well, with only one other lawsuit in 15 years or so. Of course, it helps that I am a lawyer.
The county in which I now live seems to have a more reasoned approach, and the Appraisers are much better connected with reality (hard to do well in a county where real estate has been pretty hot). I can work with them, because they are dealing in good faith.
Generally speaking, though, the property owner is entitled to see exactly what the appraisers used as comparables and/or references in arriving at the appraised value, and with that information, you can make a solid presentation as to a fairer valuation. This worked out reasonably well for @kyleb, as it should.
Where I am (Texas), the appraisal districts (which, to the amazement of most who don't know any better, are independent agencies from the county government in the counties in which the property they are appraising is located) vary widely in their approach. For example, in the large urban county where I used to live, the appraisals would come out, be really high, you'd file an appeal and go to a ludicrous three-citizen panel "hearing" at which the assigned appraiser would languidly lay out the palace that they had decided was "comparable" to your property, then you'd (assuming you prepared adequately) present the detailed evidence of why the appraisal was too high, basing it upon a detailed analysis of similarly-situated properties in the area and property condition. Then the three-person panel would either throw you a bone (a modest and wholly-inadequate adjustment), or simply tell you to go play in traffic. At that point you could (1) accept the whipping; (2) go to binding arbitration (not a good choice, for a host of reasons I'll not burden you with here, or (3) sue them in District Court (which few residential owners do because of the expense of so doing).
I got weary of the dance, so sued them some years back. The Appraisal District hired a law firm to defend them, and we conducted discovery, exchanged documents, that sort of thing. A week before trial (at which they had nothing to support their confiscatory appraisal), the Chief Appraiser called me, met me at the house, and made a deal. he also told me that, before I sued them again, I should contact him and see if a deal could be reached. It worked pretty well, with only one other lawsuit in 15 years or so. Of course, it helps that I am a lawyer.
The county in which I now live seems to have a more reasoned approach, and the Appraisers are much better connected with reality (hard to do well in a county where real estate has been pretty hot). I can work with them, because they are dealing in good faith.
Good luck with that. A couple examples.
The Florida state budget is 117B, about a quarter of which comes from property taxes.
To put that in perspective:
Disney world took in 10B
Universal 8.5B
Busch Gardens 1.7B
Nah. It's more that people like things like police, roads, schools and health care. Combined, that's 91.3% of the budget.
unsafervguy
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also have the tax a variable rate, tied to the tax rate in their state. if they voted for that rate in NY, they can pay it here!
Average state spending per capita is about $8,000 in the US. Individual states vary from ~$4,000 (TX) -> ~$27,000 (DC) (-50% -- +330%).
I don't find the "tourist money" argument compelling; Kalifornia and New Jack both have highly developed tourist industries, too. The data I quote is all government spending, not resident taxation.
Out of curiosity, I searched for data on per capita DGP, to determine what percentage of GDP is spent by state and federal governments. Per the St. Louis Fed, 2024 per capita GDP is ~$69,000. That puts state government spending at 11.6% of GDP. CBO data puts 2024 federal spending as $6.8 T (of which, $1.8 T is deficit, but that's a different kettle of fish), or 23.4% of GDP (deficit spending being 6.6% of GDP). That makes all government spending in 2024 ~35% of GDP, or ~$24,000 per capita.
P.S. -- "Just the facts, Ma'am."
P.S. -- "Just the facts, Ma'am."
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schmookeeg
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Based on that chart, it seems my punching-bag of a home state only performed 5th? le gasp!
It’s going to be interesting to see what happens in Florida ,which is proposing an elimination of property tax. They are proposing an increase in the sales tax which is very high to start with.
Half Fast
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I think the increase will only apply to non-native Floridians, so I'm safe.
JOhnH
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Unless that is a forward looking chart, it is wrong. Florida sales tax is 6% plus a local option. My county (Volusia) has a .5% local option sales tax so my tax is 6.5%.
Half Fast
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Here in Polk, the local tax is 1%, so I pay 7%.
Chart is state average. Different municipalities have different rates.
pfarber
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These are 2022/23 numbers:
"Thanks to tourism and the revenue tourism generates, every Florida household saves $1,840 a year on state and local taxes. Tourism is projected to increase steadily through 2028."
"Welcoming visitors to our state also provides benefits to residents. Thanks to tourism and the revenue tourism generates:
- Florida residents do not pay a state income tax, making Florida one of only eight states without a state income tax.
- Every Florida household saves $1,840 a year on state and local taxes.
- Communities can provide critical services residents rely on, such as education, public safety, infrastructure, and environmental programs."
So tourism is at about double the revenue of property taxes.
Florida doesn't get a MASSIVE benefit from tourism? Really? Really really? Like no kidding really?
JOhnH
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No, it is the maximum,not the average. The maximum local option is 1% but most counties don't do the full 1%. My county charges .5%. Some charge 0%.
And the local option only applies to the first $5,000. So if you buy a $200,000 airplane you pay 6% state tax on the whole thing and whatever the local option is (in my case .5%) on $5,000.
JOhnH
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That's like looking at a the trial balance in a financial statement and only adding up the credits.
tspear
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It will be interesting to watch the numbers: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/...ist-numbers-are-down-so-far-in-2025-39569047/
We are already hesitating on going to FL next year for our annual trip to the Sarasota Opera due to the tax levels; it is actually cheaper for us to fly across the country and attend the opera's in Santa Fe; but my wife misses the beach. Oh well.
Tim
This really confuses the heck out of me. New Mexico, and Santa Fe in particular has much higher sales tax than pretty much anywhere in Florida does.
Hang 4
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Didn't read the article, but there are a ton of taxes that residents don't pay, tourists do. Car Rentals, the tax and fees can be as much or more than the actual rental. Hotels not quite as bad, but still significant. Tourists don't vote, so they are ripe for the taking.
Here's an Avis quote for Tampa as an example
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My comment had nothing to do with the article. It was the statement of choosing Santa Fe over Sarasota because of taxes. Everything you said is true in Santa Fe also.
JOhnH
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I’ve stayed in every state in the country except Hawaii. They all have hotel and rental car taxes similar to Florida. Or often higher. And as for voting, they vote with their dollars.
Half Fast
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Once upon a time, Florida license plates had a unique number for rental cars (IIRC, all the tags started with Z). This was stopped because it helped theives target tourists, but additionally cops were more inclined to stop a rental car for minor offenses (like not using a turn signal) and pass out tickets.
We residents didn't really see the problem with that situation.....
IIRC a lot of rental companies had stickers, license plate frames and other low-key advertising on their cars back in the day. Removed for the same reasons. They made the cars targets.
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Today, most rentals have a barcode on the windshield which is a dead giveaway.
papogator24
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That’s true, however, most vehicles with barcodes have them if they live in a HOA with gated communities and drive through residential gates for entry.
Yeah, that's a major pet peeve of mine. Drives me way more crazy than it should to see $50, $75 or $100K cars driving around Florida with these giant bar codes on the side to get into their gated community. There are many good reasons I don't care to live in an HOA. There are many dumb reasons also. This is one of the dumb ones.
tspear
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Hmm.... could have stated it better. I care about total cost to me.
It could just be a display thing, might be actual differences in rates, never dug into it enough to care. But as a tourist, I see much higher taxes in FL than what I see in TX. e.g. taxes on hotel and rental cars. And that appears to make the costs in FL actually higher than TX.
If the Florida legislature raises the tourist taxes even more, it will likely preclude me planning additional trips there beyond what I have already reserved.
Tim
JOhnH
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I think that's what they are trying to do. Discourage the bargain hunters and bring in the big buck spendthrifts.