Alaska vs Texas
Property‑Tax Comparison: Alaska vs. Texas
Both Alaska and Texas rely heavily on property taxes to fund local services, but the rates and resulting tax bills differ. The following analysis uses the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey (5‑year estimates) to compare key metrics for the two states.
Side‑by‑side metrics
| Metric | Alaska | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Effective property‑tax rate | 1.14 % | 1.58 % |
| Median home value | $333,300 | $260,400 |
| Median annual property tax | $3,785 | $4,111 |
| Tax on a $250,000 home | $2,839 | $3,947 |
| Tax on a $500,000 home | $5,678 | $7,893 |
| Median household income | $89,336 | $76,292 |
Sources: According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey (5‑year estimates).
Which state has the lower property‑tax burden?
- Winner (lower rate): Alaska – its effective property‑tax rate of 1.14 % is 0.44 percentage points lower than Texas’s 1.58 % rate.
- Rate difference: 0.44 % (≈ 28.07 % lower than Texas).
- Annual tax difference on a $250 k home: $1,108 (Alaska $2,839 vs. Texas $3,947).
- Annual tax difference on a $500 k home: $2,215 (Alaska $5,678 vs. Texas $7,893).
Why Alaska wins: The lower effective rate directly translates into smaller annual tax bills for comparable property values, even though Alaska’s median home price is higher. Consequently, homeowners in Alaska pay less in absolute dollars for the same‑valued properties than their counterparts in Texas.
Who benefits most from this comparison?
| Audience | Relevance of the data |
|---|---|
| Current or prospective homeowners | Understanding the likely annual tax expense for a given home price helps in budgeting and assessing overall affordability. |
| Retirees and fixed‑income households | Lower property‑tax rates can reduce the recurring cost of homeownership, which is important when income is limited. |
| Real‑estate investors | The tax rate influences cash‑flow projections; a lower rate improves net operating income for rental properties. |
| Policy analysts | The side‑by‑side metrics illustrate how differing tax structures affect household finances across states. |
Additional resources
- Detailed state‑specific information: Alaska property tax
- Detailed state‑specific information: Texas property tax
Summary – Based on the most recent ACS estimates, Alaska’s effective property‑tax rate (1.14 %) is lower than Texas’s (1.58 %). This results in consistently lower annual tax bills for comparable home values, making Alaska the more favorable state from a pure property‑tax perspective. The data are factual and derived directly from U.S. Census Bureau surveys.
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Discover how property taxes compare across all states in our comprehensive comparison guide.
Data Source
All figures are drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey (5‑year estimates). This comprehensive dataset provides reliable, standardized property tax information across all states.