Tax Base by Property Type

These tables present the property tax base in each state by property type, such as residential or commercial, as defined by each state.  Each entry reflects the tax base as it was used for determining tax liability in a given fiscal year. For example, a 2010 entry generally shows the value of the tax base by property type as it was used in determining 2009-2010 property tax liability. The value of the tax base is the aggregate valuation of all taxable property net of exemptions. Most data presented here are net (post-exemption) values, as reported by the states. However, not every state publishes net valuation data; some publish gross (pre-exemption) valuation data. These exceptions are noted in footnotes. Moreover, not every state reports data in the same way. Some states, for instance, report valuation data for residential, commercial, and industrial property while other states only report data in terms of real and personal property. A few states do not present valuation data by property type; in these cases, total value is shown. The data in this section show percentages of property tax base by property type.  The State-by-State Property Tax in Detail section displays both percentage and dollar amounts for each property type. Caution should be used when making cross-state comparisons using these data, since states differ in their assessment practices, their property type definitions, and exclusions from the tax base.