When you buy a house, the cost of your purchase is just the beginning of your expenses. Insurance, upkeep and — most of all — property taxes also weigh heavily on homeowner budgets.
A handful of places share the dubious distinction of having median property tax bills that soar above $10,000, according to a recent Tax Foundation analysis of U.S. counties and county-equivalents.
Here are the locations where homeowners dread getting their annual property tax bill.
Falls Church, Virginia
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $938,500 as of 2022
Median household income: $164,536 as of 2022
Population: 14,685 as of 2023
Falls Church is an independent city in northern Virginia that does not belong to any county. City Hall is located just 9 miles from the White House in nearby Washington, D.C.
Marin County, California
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $1,291,800 as of 2022
Median household income: $142,019 as of 2022
Population: 254,407 as of 2023
Marin County is the smallest county in the San Francisco Bay Area, but it holds many charms — from redwood forests to the Golden Gate Bridge.
The area is also home to many farms, especially those that focus on organic practices.
Nassau County, New York
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $633,800 as of 2022
Median household income: $137,709 as of 2022
Population: 1,381,715 as of 2023
The income of residents in Long Island-based Nassau County ranks among the top 10% of the nation, and people like to spend that cash: The county ranks first in the U.S. in retail sales per household.
Putnam County, New York
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $421,800 as of 2022
Median household income: $120,970 as of 2022
Population: 98,060 as of 2023
Located in the Hudson River Valley north of New York City, Putnam County is home to Clarence Fahnestock State Park, which offers 14,000 acres of nature to explore. Those who want the fast pace of the city can drive to Manhattan’s Times Square in about 45 minutes.
Suffolk County, New York
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $490,800 as of 2022
Median household income: $122,498 as of 2022
Population: 1,523,170 as of 2023
Suffolk County makes up about 1,000 square miles of eastern Long Island. The State University of New York at Stony Brook opened a 1,000-acre campus in the county in 1962.
New York County, New York
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $1,104,000 as of 2022
Median household income: $99,880 as of 2022
Population: 1,597,451 as of 2023
New York County includes the New York City borough of Manhattan. The county is the most densely populated county in the United States and also has a population density that eclipses that of any U.S. city.
Rockland County, New York
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $528,900 as of 2022
Median household income: $106,173 as of 2022
Population: 340,807 as of 2023
Aside from the five boroughs of New York City, Rockland County is the smallest county in the state of New York. It is located north of NYC and west of the Hudson River.
Despite its modest size, it is known for its many parks. Rockland County has 230 parks comprising more than 32,000 acres.
Westchester County, New York
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $619,000 as of 2022
Median household income: $114,651 as of 2022
Population: 990,817 as of 2023
Sprawling Westchester County, east of Rockland County across the Hudson River, stretches for about 500 square miles. That makes it larger than more than 40 countries and territories around the world.
Somerset County, New Jersey
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $489,500 as of 2022
Median household income: $131,948 as of 2022
Population: 348,842 as of 2023
Somerset County contains 21 municipalities in 305 square miles of north-central New Jersey. It is one of the oldest counties in the U.S. and has a rich Revolutionary War history.
Bergen County, New Jersey
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $561,500 as of 2022
Median household income: $118,714 as of 2022
Population: 957,736 as of 2023
One of the original four counties of New Jersey, Bergen County in the state’s northeastern corner also is steeped in Revolutionary War history. The Battle of Fort Lee took place here as the Continental Army fought to keep British forces from sailing the Hudson River.
Essex County, New Jersey
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $466,500 as of 2022
Median household income: $73,785 as of 2022
Population: 851,117 as of 2023
Four towns in northeast New Jersey’s Essex County — Livingston, Millburn, North Caldwell and Essex Fells — are among the wealthiest in the United States.
Pop culture fans may recognize the exterior of one of the homes in North Caldwell, as it was used to represent the titlular family’s residence in TV’s “The Sopranos.”
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $478,600 as of 2022
Median household income: $133,534 as of 2022
Population: 130,183 as of 2023
During the period between the Civil War and World War I, Hunterdon County‘s black walnut forests were the source of many rifle stocks and wooden airplane propeller blades.
Nuts from those same forests on the western side of New Jersey are used in many cookies and cakes.
Morris County, New Jersey
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $531,800 as of 2022
Median household income: $130,808 as of 2022
Population: 514,423 as of 2023
Morris County in north-central New Jersey is named after Lewis Morris, the state’s first governor. The municipalities of Morristown and Morris Plains also honor the former governor, who took office in 1738.
Passaic County, New Jersey
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $413,500 as of 2022
Median household income: $84,465 as of 2022
Population: 513,395 as of 2023
The shape of Passaic County has been described as a bent hourglass. The upper half of the county features many large lakes, while more than 85% of the population lives in the county’s lower half.
Union County, New Jersey
Median annual property tax bill: $10,001 or more for 2022
Median value of primary homes: $458,000 as of 2022
Median household income: $95,000 as of 2022
Population: 572,726 as of 2023
New Jersey’s Union County, across a tidal strait from Staten Island, New York, is known for its diversity. Non-Hispanic White and Hispanic people make up roughly equal shares of the population, and Black residents are not far behind.
Pharmaceutical company Merck is the largest employer in the county.
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