CT Property Tax

[ALLSKIING]

Which counties in Ct have the lowest property taxes?

Fairfield
New Haven
Litchfield

 

[severine]

You'll find your answer here:
http://www.ct.gov/opm/cwp/view.asp?a=2987&q=385976&opmNav_GID=1807
Remember though that municipalities with lower mill rates tend to have higher property values. In many ways, it evens out.

And an FYI (since this is what I did in my former life), the mill rate is a calculation of how much money the city needs to run itself divided by the total net assessments for taxables in the town (real estate, motor vehicle, and personal property [business] after subtracting out all exemptions or state tax breaks).

Thrilling, I know. I spent 8.5 years in an Assessor's Office and took the first course toward certification. But it grows old being in the 2nd most hated office at City Hall (Tax Office being first).

ETA: You'll find that list was for October 1, 2006 Grand List. That was billed July 1,2007/January 1, 2008. Most towns will be working soon on their October 1, 2007 Grand List mill rates.

 

[severine]

These are the lowest mill rates, town by town.

Greenwich 7.7630
Salisbury 8.9000
Cornwall 11.9000
Washington 12.5000
Westport 13.7300
Darien 13.8700
Lyme 14.0000
New Canaan 14.5360
Westbrook 14.8000
Sharon 14.9000
Putnam 15.2200
Roxbury 15.4000
Bridgewater 15.5000
Old Saybrook 15.8400
Lisbon 16.0000
Sherman 16.0000
Griswold 16.7500
Essex 16.9000
Thompson 16.9700
Woodstock 17.0500
Fairfield 17.4100
Shelton 17.4700
Brookfield 17.9600
Old Lyme 18.2000
East Lyme 18.5500
North Stonington 18.6000
Kent 18.7900
Oxford 19.3700
Voluntown 19.5000
Warren 19.5000
New Fairfield 19.9600
Pomfret 20.0000

 

[2knees]

Which counties in Ct have the lowest property taxes?

Fairfield
New Haven
Litchfield

thinking of moving?

 

[Greg]

Remember though that municipalities with lower mill rates tend to have higher property values. In many ways, it evens out.

Right. The fact that Greenwich has the lowest mill rate in the state means little when any house that is decent is probably $750K+ :-o I could never afford the house I have in Litchfield County in Fairfield or New Haven Counties. That's more of a function of property value than mill rate.

 

[MR. evil]

Just remember that taxes change town to town. It is not based by county.

One of my co-workers live in Enfield, he has a nice colonial worth about $220,000 and pays more in property taxes than my boss who lives in Suffield (town next to enfield) in a home worth 3 times as much.

 

[severine]

I should also add that taxes are calculated differently in CT than NY. We don't bill separately for most services (like no separate school taxes). In most communities, your tax = your assessment (70% of market value of your property at the time of the last revaluation [which occur every 5 years]) X mill rate. And the mill rate represents tax dollars per $1000 of assessment.

So let's say the mill rate is 33.90 and your house is assessed for 140,000 (with a market value of 200,000). Then the taxes would be $4746. You may have a separate sewer use fee if you're on city sewer. Only a few municipalities have a separate fire district tax.

(Sorry if this is too basic but I know people who have moved from NY to CT who were quite shocked by how it worked here.)

 

[severine]

Just remember that taxes change town to town. It is not based by county.

One of my co-workers live in Enfield, he has a nice colonial worth about $220,000 and pays more in property taxes than my boss who lives in Suffield (town next to enfield) in a home worth 3 times as much.

That's why I linked him to the OPM list of mill rates. And then quoted the lowest mill rates in the state, town by town.

Another thing to consider? Many of the smaller towns with lower mill rates have such because they offer less services. No city fire department (only volunteer), for example.

 

[ckofer]

A better comparison is to evaluate what 2500 square foot house would cost you in annual taxes.

 

[severine]

A better comparison is to evaluate what 2500 square foot house would cost you in annual taxes.

It's not that simple. There are a lot of things that factor into assessments other than base square footage. f you had specific houses in mind, you could compare them. But there is no blanket tax dollar per square foot figure (nor assessment per square foot).

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

These are the lowest mill rates, town by town.

Greenwich 7.7630
Salisbury 8.9000
Cornwall 11.9000
Washington 12.5000
Westport 13.7300
Darien 13.8700
Lyme 14.0000
New Canaan 14.5360
Westbrook 14.8000
Sharon 14.9000
Putnam 15.2200
Roxbury 15.4000
Bridgewater 15.5000
Old Saybrook 15.8400
Lisbon 16.0000
Sherman 16.0000
Griswold 16.7500
Essex 16.9000
Thompson 16.9700
Woodstock 17.0500
Fairfield 17.4100
Shelton 17.4700
Brookfield 17.9600
Old Lyme 18.2000
East Lyme 18.5500
North Stonington 18.6000
Kent 18.7900
Oxford 19.3700
Voluntown 19.5000
Warren 19.5000
New Fairfield 19.9600
Pomfret 20.0000

A nice $200,000 fixer upper in Greenwich would only be about $1600 a year..steezy

 

[severine]

Um, yeah. I'm not so sure how many fixer-uppers you'll find in Greenwich, Salisbury, or Cornwall.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Um, yeah. I'm not so sure how many fixer-uppers you'll find in Greenwich, Salisbury, or Cornwall.

Just kidding..lol..does Greenwich have any slums? Is Connecticut still the wealthiest state in the US on a per capita income basis?

 

[o3jeff]

Just kidding..lol..does Greenwich have any slums? Is Connecticut still the wealthiest state in the US on a per capita income basis?

I just saw something on the news yesterday that we still lead the nation with the average income of $58k(IIRC)

 

[ckofer]

It's not that simple. There are a lot of things that factor into assessments other than base square footage.

What I'm getting at is the same thing you're saying. My point is to compare the taxes the "average" family dwelling from region to region. We pay about $6000 in prop taxes on a home that size in Strafford NH. Waterfront and mountain views get their own penalties. Though we gripe about the taxes no matter where we are, the cost of the home is a bigger factor in affordability.

I was thinking about this when the discussion about square footage vs local mtn height came up. Then I started doing the math on square footage vs prop taxes. I'll bet in NH people pay between $2.00 and $4.00 per square foot of home. I'd be curious how others make out on this calculation.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I just saw something on the news yesterday that we still lead the nation with the average income of $58k(IIRC)

58k a year in an expensive place like CT doesn't seem like that much but that also includes homeless people and trick hoes working at Wendys..

 

[o3jeff]

Here in Southington I have a 1050sf ranch on .25 acre and that get me a $2600 tax bill.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Here in Southington I have a 1050sf ranch on .25 acre and that get me a $2600 tax bill.

Thats a bargain...my parents pay like 10gs

 

[ckofer]

A nice $200,000 fixer upper in Greenwich would only be about $1600 a year..steezy

I went to one online real estate site and put in a search for any residential real estate in Greenwich under $200k and got

Sorry. An error has occured while processing your request.
Our administrators have been notified of your problem, and will work to correct the issue as soon as possible. Please try again later.

I'll bet that's about as good as I'm going to do...

 

[ckofer]

Thats a bargain...my parents pay like 10gs

On 1000 sf?