If you’ve been complaining that your property taxes keep going up, just know that you’re not alone.
New Jersey highest-in-the-nation property taxes check in at an average of $8,767, and school taxes account for about 52 percent of that.
Collectively, New Jersey property owners shell out more than $15 billion each year for their schools, which, despite the hefty price tag, rank among the nation’s best. The state’s average residential school tax bill checked in at $4,610 last year, according to state data.
But who pays the most?
The price tag for education is not evenly distributed across the state, and homeowners in many middle class towns fork over the largest share of their incomes to their public schools.
But the highest average bills are found in the wealthiest communities, where home values are extremely high and state aid for schools is especially low.
Below are the 30 New Jersey towns with the highest average school tax bills in 2018, along with the average total residential property tax bill in each town.
30. Allendale Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $9,653
Average total tax bill: $15,136
29. Cresskill Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $9,655
Average total tax bill: $16,722
28. Chatham Township
Morris County
Average school tax bill: $9,816
Average total tax bill: $14,740
27. Wyckoff Township
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $9,861
Average total tax bill: $14,020
26. Westfield Town
Union County
Average school tax bill: $9,927
Average total tax bill: $16,914
25. Closter Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $9,964
Average total tax bill: $15,565
24. Woodcliff Lake Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $10,032
Average total tax bill: $15,598
23. River Vale Township
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $10,138
Average total tax bill: $14,939
22. Essex Fells Township
Essex County
Average school tax bill: $10,238
Average total tax bill: $20,054
21. Chester Township
Morris County
Average school tax bill: $10,267
Average total tax bill: $15,602
20. Mendham Borough
Morris County
Average school tax bill: $10,269
Average total tax bill: $15,598
19. Colts Neck Township
Monmouth County
Average school tax bill: $10,289
Average total tax bill: $15,121
18. Kinnelon Borough
Morris County
Average school tax bill: $10,295
Average total tax bill: $14,763
17. South Orange Village
Essex County
Average school tax bill: $10,419
Average total tax bill: $18,354
16. Montgomery Township
Somerset County
Average school tax bill: $10,510
Average total tax bill: $15,112
15. Harrington Park Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $10,590
Average total tax bill: $15,262
14. Montclair Township
Essex County
Average school tax bill: $10,966
Average total tax bill: $19,370
13. Haworth Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $11,225
Average total tax bill: $17,780
12. Glen Rock Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $11,230
Average total tax bill: $16,253
11. Franklin Lakes Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $11,510
Average total tax bill: $17,264
10. Millburn Township
Essex County
Average school tax bill: $11,531
Average total tax bill: $24,308
9. Ridgewood Village
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $11,753
Average total tax bill: $17,970
8. Rumson Borough
Monmouth County
Average school tax bill: $11,837
Average total tax bill: $20,602
7. Old Tappan Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $11,914
Average total tax bill: $16,726
6. Glen Ridge Borough
Essex County
Average school tax bill: $12,199
Average total tax bill: $20,209
5. Mendham Township
Morris County
Average school tax bill: $12,775
Average total tax bill: $19,195
4. Upper Saddle River Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $12,830
Average total tax bill: $18,421
3. Demarest Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $13,140
Average total tax bill: $19,797
2. Tenafly Borough
Bergen County
Average school tax bill: $13,477
Average total tax bill: $20,717
1. Mountain Lakes Borough
Morris County
Average school tax bill: $14,035
Average total tax bill: $20,417
Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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