Homeowner Property Taxes Could Disappear In These US States

No matter which U.S. state or county you reside in, if you own property, you're paying property taxes. Property tax rates vary widely by location and are generally calculated as a percentage of a home's value. These taxes are mainly collected and allocated by local governments in order to fund things like public schools and road maintenance — with some property tax revenue also going to the state. State and local governments collected roughly 15% of their total revenues from property taxes in 2021, according to data from the Tax Policy Center. With that in mind, it may come as a surprise to learn that some states are considering eliminating property taxes.

However, the initiatives to end property taxes in certain states might end up being nothing more than election-year stunts. The states making waves in early 2026 regarding eliminating property taxes include North Dakota, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio, Nebraska, and Michigan, albeit all in different forms. It's also worth noting that only a few of these states actually have the absolute highest property taxes in the country. That said, if property taxes were eliminated, it begs the question of where governments would get funding for the many services that rely on tax revenue.

In some Southern cities, owning a home is actually cheaper than renting, even with property taxes factored in. However, governors in Southern states like Florida and Texas still want to make major changes to property taxes in order to reduce the tax burden for homeowners. During a re-election campaign speech, per AP, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas told supporters, "Local governments are hiking your property taxes incessantly." Instead, Abbott suggested that eliminating property taxes for schools would benefit Texas homeowners financially. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, on the other hand, has stated that his goal is to phase out all non-school property taxes for homeowners. 

Meanwhile, North Dakota has plans to use the state's large oil tax savings to help offset the revenue lost from ending property taxes. Although a ballot measure that would have ended property taxes was already defeated in the state, North Dakota's oil money could still potentially offset property taxes — providing a more effective option than many other states. Meanwhile, Georgia believes it's possible to replace at least a portion of its property tax revenue — of which it collected nearly $20 billion in 2024 — with sales tax instead. It's not clear how other states might handle making property taxes disappear just yet, but with droves of Americans changing their financial habits to beat the affordability crisis, many are likely to be listening to the plans when — and if — they're announced.