Capital Region property tax rates
Schenectady has the highest property tax rate in the Capital Region, according to the Empire Center report. The property taxes on this house -- the "oldest" house in Schenectady -- assessed at $247,600 in 2010: $10,078. [Zillow]
The Capital Region has the lowest median effective property tax rate in the state, according to a report from the Empire Center. This area's median rate was $23.14 per $1000 last year. Western New York had the highest rate at $35.58 per $1000.
The Empire Center's analysis did not include New York City or Nassau County, which it says impose rates in a way that makes them hard to compare. And in this case, the Capital Region extends beyond the four core counties to also includes counties such as Warren, Washington, and Greene.
Within the Capital Region's core there are wide differences. The effective total property tax rate in the city of Schenectady is $40.75 per $1,000 of property value. In the town of Edinburgh it's $7.70 per $1,000.
We pulled all the numbers for municipalities in the Capital Region's core. They're sorted after the jump.
All numbers via the Empire Center's SeeThroughNY Benchmarking NY database, which was built on numbers from the state comptroller's office and data from the NYS Association of Realtors. There's more detail available there.
Specifically, these numbers are from "Comptroller's Overlapping Property Tax Rates Table," which you can download in xls from SeeThroughNY.
Breakouts by county are embedded in large-format above -- scroll all the way up.
Property tax rates listed are per $1000 valuation.
Capital Region property tax rates
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Comments
While the top half of that list is awful, Schenectady is a true nightmare. It's a ridiculous vicious cycle isn't it? Higher tax rates lead to lower home values, lower home values mean we need more money...and the only way the morons in charge can get more money is... higher taxes.
How to kill a city in 2 easy steps.
... said ike on May 10, 2012 at 11:48 AM | link
I love New York state but always felt like such chump for living here, because of the high taxes and political dysfunction. But now I feel less chumplike seeing that our taxes are *low*.
In yer face, Western New York!
... said Rebecca on May 10, 2012 at 11:52 AM | link
All I know is that I pay a total property tax rate that is ever two months what I used to pay for the entire year in the Southwest for the same size home & lot, and the home and neighborhood there were eighty-eight years newer, the school safer and more parent-participation friendly, and the city council wasn't on trial (I'm lookin' at you, Troy). I love NY, but this state has been a frog in the kettle so long many don't even seem to realize just how bad the tax rates here really are, or why that's been such a key to the loss of industry to other states and nations (and many who do realize it have jumped out of the pot and gone to FL, etc).
... said James on May 10, 2012 at 12:28 PM | link
I'm sorry, but even being the lowest in upstate doesn't excuse those rates from being obscenely high. Owning a home in NYS is not a good investment.
... said jamband on May 10, 2012 at 1:05 PM | link
If you looked at it a different way, the rankings would be quite a bit different. The tax rate per $1000 valuation may be higher in western NY, but the value of an equivalent house there is much lower. So, the total tax bill on an equivalent house might be lower in western NY than in this area.
... said John on May 10, 2012 at 1:13 PM | link
Given the quality of life where I live (reasonably high), and the amount of property taxes I pay (fair, in my opinion), I consider myself fortunate. Folks who are complaining about property taxes should suck it up and consider doing some volunteer work in their community.
... said Bob on May 10, 2012 at 1:56 PM | link
I just bought a house in Albany in December. Even though I knew property taxes are high, I consider that a trade-off for a lovely, safe, walkable neighborhood, easy access to public transportation, efficient community services (like garbage pickup) and short driving distances to my/my husband's jobs, shopping, concert venues, etc.
When deciding where to buy a house, you have to look at everything that's important to you. Everything I listed above is stuff that that my hubs and I value, and keeping that in mind keeps the thought of our property taxes more palatable.
... said SiobhanGK on May 10, 2012 at 3:15 PM | link
@Bob,
I knew there would be one person posting some crap about how they LOVE paying taxes...
... said bk on May 10, 2012 at 3:52 PM | link
@jamband: Renters pay property tax too, they just don't get to deduct it.
... said Herbert on May 10, 2012 at 5:51 PM | link
I have to second SiobahnGK. Taxes are just one factor in many, and in my opinion they are worth it for the quality of life Albany offers over many quarters of the country. I live in the City of Albany, where taxes are a bit more, but I live a walkable community, with access to culture, great dining, libraries, movie theater, etc, and only a hours drive from the mountains, the cultural venues of the Berkshires, and a 20 minute bus ride to Amtrak where I can be in NYC in a little over 2 hrs. You can't beat it. Furthermore, you have to look at the whole picture of the expense of living in the suburbs (growing more and more unsustainable in my opinion). While I may pay $5,000 in taxes, I am saving about $1,700 in gas (what I paid when commuting about 35 miles round trip for 2 years ago), so my taxes are really $3,300, very comparable to the suburban tax rates, plus I've shaved my commute time from 40 minutes to 10 (so if you value your time, and I do, I in theory am saving another $1,500 from wasted commute time). In the end, to each there own. Some may like to physically see the savings, rather than the theoretically savings in "time" or don't mind commuting in order to have a large lot, but I truly think people under appreciate all that we have in the Capital Region, which will of course cost more (and frankly will probably get more costly as we continue to sprawl out, creating new infrastructure, instead of ponying up to pay for existing, aged infrastructure, like that in the City of Albany, and creating more government, thus more personnel, to prop up the expanding towns in parts like Southern Saratoga, where in 20 years time their taxes will be on par with today's more costly towns and cities).
... said Rich on May 11, 2012 at 7:54 AM | link
"Folks who are complaining about property taxes should suck it up and consider doing some volunteer work in their community."
A non sequitur, Bob. Many of us who know the taxes are too high and aren't afraid to do so do indeed do a lot of volunteer work. I don't recall meeting you in the group of volunteers at the shelter Sunday. Ahem.
... said James on May 11, 2012 at 12:08 PM | link
@James: "Many of us..." Sure.
... said Bob on May 11, 2012 at 3:32 PM | link
Look ! I would like to stay in schenectady. But , with the taxes being so high. I cant even get a loan. I can afford the house amount that suits me but , they say the taxes are to much for me. Thats really sad. Because I would be a good fit for this town. And some of the houses close to Downtown can really use a owner like me who can keep things clean and nice. We 'll see what the Mayor will do about it. It seems like the focus is on The DownTown areas. Forget about the surrounding areas near it. They look horrible. Who cares. As long as they dont live there. They dont care. Who will ?
... said Lou on Jan 4, 2016 at 2:12 PM | link
Are these 'total property taxes' inclusive of both Town and School District? I assume so, but if not it would be a very different result. I grew in Capitol Region, but now live in Western NY....town plus school in suburbs known for better schools are in the 30-40 range! So 25-27 seems like a bargain!
... said Tony on Jul 24, 2016 at 2:35 PM | link