Evanston Tops State In Property Tax Impact

EVANSTON, IL — With more than 30 percent of total housing costs going to pay property taxes, Evanston has earned the dubious distinction of having the state's most burdensome property taxes. A SmartAsset report examined property taxes in nearly 600 cities across the country by using Census Bureau data for the median taxes paid and the median cost of housing and ranked Evanston seventh in the nation in a comparison of where property taxes have the biggest impact on housing costs.

The rankings found 18 of the top 25 cities for property taxes as a percentage of housing costs are located in New Jersey or Illinois – the top two states for property taxes in the nation, with more than double the national average and average effective rates of between 2.2 and 2.3 percent.

There are more than 10 different taxing bodies in Evanston, although not all of them line up with city boundaries. For instance, the Ridgeville Park District only taxes south Evanston, while the Lighthouse Park District only taxes the north. About two-thirds of the average Evanstonian's property tax bill goes to fund Evanston/Skokie District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202, according to the city.

The average American household pays nearly $2,200 in property taxes annually, according to Census Bureau data. An analysis of 2017 taxes from ATTOM Data found the average property tax paid by Illinois residents was up by 2 percent from the previous year, rising to $4,941.

Evanston residents, on the other hand, paid an average of $8,228 in property taxes. (Cook County's average was $6,264) The average cost to live in town, based on median annual values, was $27,252, according to the SmartAsset rankings.

Related:

• Illinois Property Taxes Still Among Highest In U.S.: Report
• Illinois Has 2nd Highest Property Taxes In U.S.
• North Suburban Property Tax Bills Will Rise 6.5 Percent

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