UPDATE (9/20): To read today’s Journal News story about property taxes, click here. To access a database with property tax and income data, click here.
Westchester is holding tight to its position as the highest-taxed county in the nation, according to data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The county’s median property tax bill topped $10,000 in 2011 – up from $8,890 in 2008 – according to the 2011 American Community Survey.
Westchester has topped the list for years but it has broken a new barrier: It is the first county to ever have a median tax bill above $10,000.
Making the tax bite sting more are declining incomes. In 2011, median household income in Westchester was $77,066, down from $79,448.
Rockland and Putnam are not far behind on either measure. Rockland’s median tax bill of $9,376 – up from $8,430 in 2008 – is third-highest in the nation. Putnam’s median tax bill of $7,851 is 12th highest nationwide and up from $7,324 in 2008.
Meanwhile, Rockland’s median income fell to $82,217 in 2011 from $85,363 in 2008. Bucking the trend in the region, Putnam’s median income of $90,735 is up slightly from the 2008 figure of $89,928.
The census figures are survey estimates that have a margin of error so current income and tax figures could actually be flat, slightly higher or slightly lower than in past year. However, an abundance of counties are showing a downward trend.
Photo: Getty Images/Creatas RF
