Here's The Average 2021 Property Tax Bill For Hopatcong, Sparta

It’s no big secret that the Garden State is an expensive place to live if you want to own a home, and that is true in Hopatcong and Sparta.

The state routinely ranks among the highest in the nation when it comes to property taxes. Last year, four of the seven counties with the highest median payments in the U.S. were located in New Jersey.

Taxes and home values have gone up steadily throughout the state over the past decade, regardless of what political party is in power. When former Gov. Chris Christie and the state Legislature reached a historic deal for a 2 percent cap in 2011, the average property tax bill in New Jersey was at $7,759 for a home valued at $299,014, not including credits or deductions. By the time Gov. Phil Murphy began his first term in 2018, the average property tax payment had risen by 13 percent.

Since Murphy took office, the cost of owning a home has continued to go up. According to new figures released by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, the average property tax was $9,284 for a home valued at $335,623 in 2021. Those numbers were up 1.9 percent from 2020, when they stood at $9,112 for a home valued at $330,578.

Locally, Hopatcong residents paid an average of $7,286 in 2021 while Sparta residents paid $12,416.

Other recent property tax averages in New Jersey include:

• 2019 – $8,953 for a home valued at $323,180
• 2018 – $8,767 for a home valued at $316,710

Property taxes in New Jersey are made up of three parts: school, municipal and county. Last year, the average property owner paid roughly 52.9 percent of their total for school taxes, 29.4 percent for municipal taxes and 17.8 percent for county taxes.

>> See related article: Gas Isn't The Only Thing Getting More Expensive In New Jersey

In 2021, the highest average property taxes in New Jersey were seen in Tavistock Borough, where a home valued at $1.72 million had a $30,715 yearly tax bill.

The lowest average property taxes were seen in Walpack Township, where a home valued at $68,423 had a $515 yearly tax bill.