The Taxman Cometh: Property Taxes Across the United States

You make it, they take it.

In honor of tax day, Zillow Research analyzed property taxes in some of the nation's largest metro areas. Many municipalities tax property differently, depending on how much of their total income comes from property taxes.

To compare property taxes across the country, we calculated the median property tax for single-family homes by county for tax year 2013. We then created an inferred tax rate, dividing the median tax paid by the median home value in the county, in order to compare tax burdens across counties.

Some of the most expensive property taxes are in the counties surrounding New York City. Although home values tend to be high, property taxes routinely represnt 2 percent or more of a home's value.

Use the interactive tool below to explore property tax data across the U.S.