Illinois has now surpassed New Jersey for the highest effective property tax rates in the nation, according to a recent report by Attom Data Solutions.
Illinois’ 2023 effective property tax rate, calculated as taxes paid relative to median home value, is 1.88%. This rate, the highest in the country, increased from 1.78% the previous year.
Illinois Property Tax Rates in Perspective
New Jersey (1.64%), Connecticut (1.54%), New York (1.46%), and Nebraska (1.46%) were also in the top ten states with the highest effective property tax rates 2023. Conversely, the ten states with the lowest rates include Hawaii (0.31%), Arizona (0.41%), Alabama (0.42%), Delaware (0.43%), and Tennessee (0.44%).
A number of Illinois’ metro areas were hit the hardest by increasing property taxes. Five of the top ten metro areas in the United States with the highest effective property tax rates are in Illinois. Rockford ranks second nationally with a rate of 2.41%, Champaign-Urbana third at 1.95%, Peoria is fifth and Springfield is sixth with both at 1.9%. The Chicago metro area comes in at eighth with a 1.84% effective property tax rate.
Breaking Down Cook County and Chicago Property Tax Increases
In Cook County’s south and southwest suburbs, the median homeowner saw their property tax bills rise nearly 20% in 2024, according to a mid-June study from Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office. The increase follows the reassessment of property values in the south and southwest suburbs by Cook County Assessor who reassesses all properties in the county every three years.
This reassessment led to an increase in tax bills for newly reassessed residential properties in the south suburbs, marking the largest jump in at least 30 years.
- In 15 southern Chicago suburbs, residential property taxes surged by at least 30%.
- The median property tax bill in the south suburban Chicago areas is now $6,117.
- In the north and northwest Chicago suburbs, the median residential tax bill is now $3,811. This includes single family homes, condominiums, and townhomes.
- The median commercial property tax bill in the north and northwest Chicago suburbs is $12,156.
- About 90% of businesses in Chicago and the north and northwest suburbs saw higher tax bills.
Overall, property taxes across Cook County rose by approximately $706 million to $18.3 billion, a 4% increase from 2023. More than 86% of this increase will be shouldered by Chicagoland homeowners.
Cited reasons for the substantial increase in property taxes include higher levies from taxing bodies, increased public school budgets, the elimination of COVID-19 assessment reductions, and rising home sale prices.
Sources:
https://www.cookcountytreasurer.com/taxbillanalysisandstatistics.aspx
Illinois Residential and Commercial Property Tax Appeals Explained
Appealing your property taxes is one way to ensure that the amount you pay is fair whether you live in the north/northwest suburbs, south/southwest suburbs, or in the City of Chicago.
When you file an appeal, you are not actually challenging the tax bill – you are contesting the value of your house or building as determined by the county assessor.
What are some reasons to challenge your assessment?
- The assessor’s market value is higher than actual market value.
- Results of an assessment/sales ratio study show that the assessed value is at a higher percentage of market value for your property than the prevailing township or county median level.
- The primary assessment of the property is based on inaccurate information, such as an incorrect measurement of a lot or building.
- The assessment is higher than those of similar neighboring properties.
There are formal and informal processes for appealing property taxes. Deadlines, complaint forms, evidence, and rules of practice vary.
The appeal decision is reached by county officials. There are also varying levels of appeals (Board of Review, Property Tax Appeal Board, Circuit Court) that can impact the appeal decision timeframe.
You have the option to appeal on your own. Or you can hire an attorney who specializes in property tax law to handle your appeal. An attorney can assist at every step of the process to boost your chances of a successful property tax appeal.
Legal Resource
If you are a Chicagoland property owner and you receive your 2024 Chicago property tax assessment notices, do not hesitate to contact our law firm.
KSN’s experienced attorneys have saved our clients over $150 million since 2015 by successfully reducing their residential and commercial property tax assessments.
We can handle your property tax appeal from start to finish. KSN does not have a processing fee and we work on a contingency fee basis. If your assessment is not reduced, then you owe us nothing.
Please call 855-537-0500 or visit www.ksnlaw.com.
Since 1983, KSN has been a legal resource for condominium, homeowner, and townhome associations. Additionally, we represent clients in real estate transactions, collections, landlord/tenant issues, and property tax appeals. We represent thousands of clients and community associations throughout the US with offices in several states including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
Please note the material contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by your review or receipt of the information contained in this article. You should not act on the information discussed in this article without first obtaining legal advice from an attorney duly licensed to practice law in your State. While KSN has made every effort to include up-to-date information in this article, the law can change quickly. Accordingly, please understand that information discussed in this article may not yet reflect the most recent legal developments. Material is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date. KSN reserves the right to revise or update the information and statements of law discussed in the article law at any time, without notice, and disclaims any liability for your use of information or statements of law discussed on the article, or the accessibility of the article generally. This article may be considered advertising in some jurisdictions under applicable law/s and/or ethical rules/regulations. © 2024 Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit, A Professional Corporation.