Property taxes are among homeowners’ largest ongoing expenses. Yet, many people remain unaware that they may be overpaying or that they can appeal their property assessments.
A recently launched free online tool empowers homeowners to determine whether they’re likely paying too much in property taxes. Realtor.com built the tool, which it describes as a “tax-protesting resource.”
To use it, you can go to Realtor.com’s tax-protest page and enter your home address. The tool will then use current market data to estimate your potential property-tax savings based on your home’s county assessment and those of other homes in your area.
Homeowners can download the evidence Realtor.com gathers into a PDF file, including a list of similar homes that you can use to back your claim that you are paying too much in taxes.
Realtor.com says many homes are assessed higher than their true market value, which drives up property taxes. In fact, a Realtor.com analysis shows more than 40% of homeowners nationwide have the potential to reduce their bills by at least $100 annually.
The national median annual property tax bill in the U.S. was $3,500 in 2024, according to Realtor.com. The organization estimates that those who protest their assessments could save a median of $539 annually, which equates to about 15% of the average property tax bill.
Opportunities vary by state. Realtor.com says homeowners in Texas, South Dakota, California, Iowa and Illinois have some of the highest potential for significant savings by making appeals.
More than half — 51.2% — of Texas homeowners might benefit from protesting their assessments, with an estimated median savings of $606.66, according to Realtor.com.
California homeowners have the biggest potential savings on their bills, with an estimated median reduction of a whopping $1,875.12.
Recent increases in home valuations and rising tax rates have driven up property taxes substantially in some areas. For example, Georgia homeowners saw median tax burdens jump by 15.6% from 2023 to 2024. Texas experienced an increase of 7.8% in the median tax burden during the same period.
On the other hand, states such as Nebraska, Michigan and Kentucky actually saw property tax burdens decline or remain steady during that period, underscoring how much tax burdens can vary geographically.
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