Burlington County claims state’s lowest tax burden, again
MOUNT HOLLY — Burlington County government had the lowest average county tax on residential property owners last year among New Jersey’s 21 counties, a bragging right it has owned since 2019.
Burlington’s claim relies on data rounded up, crunched, and released by the state Department of Community Affairs, the arm of Trenton that deals the most with how counties and municipalities tax and spend.
The DCA says the average home was assessed at $240,847 in Burlington County. The payment was $1,069 on that assessment. That money is separate from what owners pay school boards and local governments.
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The next lowest average county payment was in Morris County, at $1,278. Neighboring Camden County was not far off from Burlington, at $1,642 and Gloucester was $1,558. Cumberland was $1,823. The average across the state was $1,746.
Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson on Wednesday said county government has made affordability a priority. She credited the DCA ranking to an efficient government.
“Our county’s record stands apart and is helping to make Burlington County an ideal destination for all people, regardless of their economic status,” Hopson said.
Property tax bill splits among county, schools, and towns
Burlington also noted the relative percentages property owners pay for different government services is about what it was in 2022: The county share of taxes was 14.3 percent of the total tax bill including school and local levies; schools claimed about 64.3 percent of all taxes; and local governments claimed the 21.3 remaining.
Lumped together, Burlington residents on average paid $7,459 in taxes.
County officials also noted that Burlington last year maintained its Aa1 bond rating, which helps it get lending credit at relative good rates.
Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Again, Burlington County has NJ’s lowest average county tax payment
