Bernards Township's Average Property Tax Bill Increases Slightly

BERNARDS TOWNSHIP, NJ — New Jersey's property taxes, which are the highest in the nation, continue to rise. And even as state officials have sought to provide financial relief during the COVID crisis, the vast majority of taxpayers will still have to dig deeper into their pockets this year.

The data released this month comes from the state Department of Community Affairs. On average, the state's property taxes rose 1 percent, from $8,953 to $9,112, between 2019 and 2020. It was lower than the 2 percent cap former Gov. Chris Christie put into effect in 2011, according to the analysis.

By contrast, between 2018 and 2019, the average homeowner's tax bill rose from $8,767 to $8,953, an increase of 2.12 percent.

Locally, Bernards Township saw a 0.72 percent increase reflected in the $12,825 figure.

A property owner's taxes are composed of three parts: county, school and municipal. Here's how it broke down in Bernards Township in 2020:

• Total taxes: $140,383,339
• Average county share: $2,208 (0.36 percent rate)
• Average school share: $8,506 (1.388 percent rate)
• Average municipal share: $2,110 (0.344 percent rate)

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