The Department of Valuation and Taxation seeks to inform public decision-making on land-related tax issues through research, teaching, and data-gathering. We bring together scholars interested in the practical applications of their research and public officials seeking to benefit from a wider perspective on the policy issues they face. Our work addresses three major land-related tax issues:

  •  The taxation of land value offers a means of raising revenue without impeding economic growth. It is an innovative tax instrument that has attracted longstanding scholarly interest. We explore the effects of land value taxation and the practical, administrative, and political issues raised by its implementation.

  • Property taxation is the most important current instrument for the taxation of land value. We investigate the impact of the property tax on taxpayers and local governments that use it to finance public services. Our research also supplies basic data on domestic and international property tax practices.

  • The valuation process determines the tax base and the practical impact of property taxes. We address appraisal questions, the interpretation of tax law, and technological advances in mass valuation. 

 

Compare local government finances for 150 of the largest U.S. cities across more than 120 categories of revenues, expenditures, debt, and assets.
Discover data on the property tax in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Learn why the property tax is a critical source of revenue for public schools in the United States.
Use this visualization tool to compare property tax systems across the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and view key variables for each state, DC, and the U.S.

News

People

Courses & Events