Long Island property tax

Long Island property tax is among the highest in the United States — the median single-family home pays around $11,129/yr across 121 school districts. This page explains exactly what you owe, why the bills are so high, and the three or four levers you actually have to lower them.

Total LI residential parcels
847,826
Median annual tax bill
$11,129
121 school districts
Median Nassau bill
$11,108
Median Suffolk bill
$11,328
See your bill

Estimate any Long Island property tax bill

Type any Nassau or Suffolk address and we pull the parcel from the live assessment roll, apply the current rates for that school district and town, and show what the bill should be. Free, no sign-up.

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The numbers — Nassau vs Suffolk

Long Island has two counties with very different property-tax math. Both are above the U.S. median bill (~$2,800/yr by Census data), but the way they get there is different:

  • Nassau County — median bill $11,108/yr across 53 school districts. Homes are assessed at a very low fraction (~0.1%) of market value with a much higher rate per $1,000 of assessed value. Reassessed annually.
  • Suffolk County — median bill $11,328/yr across 68 school districts. Each of the 10 towns runs its own assessor; the level of assessment varies by town from 0.3% to 63%.

Within each county the spread is enormous. The cheapest LI district runs around $5,192/yr; the most expensive (Cold Spring Harbor, parts of the Hamptons) clears $30,783/yr.

What drives a Long Island property tax bill

A typical LI tax bill is the sum of four to seven separate line items, each set by a different government:

  • School district (60-75% of the bill). Long Island schools spend about $39,653 per pupil in 2024-25 — the highest in NY State and roughly 2× the U.S. average. This is the single biggest line.
  • County (10-15%). Funds courts, police (Nassau), social services, jails. Both Nassau and Suffolk run county-wide police forces — unusual nationally.
  • Town (10-15%). Funds town services: roads, parks, sanitation, the receiver of taxes office. In Suffolk, town police are also on this line.
  • Village (if you live in one of LI's ~60 incorporated villages, otherwise zero).
  • Special districts (fire, library, water, sewer, sanitation, ambulance, lighting). Nassau and Suffolk together have several hundred of these, each a separate taxing entity with its own budget.

How to actually lower yours

You have three or four real levers. Most people don't use any of them.

  • File a tax grievance. Nassau's window typically closes around March 31; Suffolk's around the third Tuesday in May. Nassau grievance is online via ARC, Suffolk goes through your town's Board of Assessment Review. Most LI grievance firms work on contingency (33% of the first year's savings). See our grievance guide.
  • Claim every exemption you qualify for. STAR (everyone with primary residence and income under $250k/$500k), Enhanced STAR (65+ with income under $110,750), Senior 5/10/20% sliding scale, Veterans, Volunteer Firefighter, Disabled. These stack. See STAR, Senior, Veterans.
  • Know that the seller's bill is NOT what you'll pay. When you buy a house, the seller's exemptions disappear at closing. The new owner has to re-apply, and Enhanced STAR / Senior exemptions don't transfer. Plan to pay the un-exempted bill until your STAR comes through. See buying a house and property tax.
  • Watch for assessment errors. Wrong square footage, wrong bed/bath count, wrong land assessment — each is grounds for a grievance and the fix often pays back for years. Pull your assessment record from the appropriate property records lookup (Nassau, Suffolk).

Where the head-term comparisons land

Long Island doesn't have the highest property-tax rate in the country — Westchester County does, on a percentage-of-home-value basis. But LI home values are higher than Westchester's, so the dollar bill ends up close. New Jersey has the highest effective rate in the U.S. by most measures, but lower home values keep median bills below LI.

Drill down by location

Each town and county page has the local rates, deadlines, and grievance steps:

Long Island property tax — FAQ

What is the average property tax on Long Island?
The median single-family Long Island property tax bill is $11,129/yr across 121 school districts — about 4× the U.S. national median. Nassau median: $11,108. Suffolk median: $11,328. Within LI, district medians range from ~$5,192 (Hempstead UFSD) to ~$30,783 (Cold Spring Harbor).
Why are Long Island property taxes so high?
Three structural reasons. Long Island schools spend $39,653 per pupil (highest in NY State, 2× the U.S. average) and 60-75% of every bill goes to schools. Both Nassau and Suffolk run county-wide police forces (most U.S. counties don't). And LI has 60+ villages plus hundreds of special districts (fire, library, sewer) each levying separately, creating layered overhead per dollar of property tax raised.
Is property tax higher in Nassau or Suffolk?
By median bill, Suffolk is slightly higher ($11,328 vs $11,108). But within each county the spread is much bigger than the county-to-county difference — the most expensive Nassau district (Cold Spring Harbor area) pays roughly 5× the cheapest Suffolk district. ZIP code and school district matter more than county.
How is Long Island property tax calculated?
For most Suffolk and all Nassau parcels, the formula is: full market value × combined rate per $1,000 (school + town + county + village + special districts), minus exemptions applied to specific lines. Nassau uses a low (~0.1%) level of assessment with a high per-$1,000 rate; Suffolk varies by town from ~0.3% to 63% LOA. Our calculator handles both methods.
When are Long Island property taxes due?
Both counties bill twice a year. Nassau: General tax due Jan 10 (first half) and Aug 10 (second half); School tax due Nov 10 (first half) and May 10 (second half). Suffolk: combined bill is first-half due Jan 10, second-half due May 31. Late penalties accrue immediately. See our payment schedule guide for both counties.

Related guides

Nassau vs SuffolkWhich county is actually cheaper, by median bill, rate, and home value What's the LI property tax rate?Effective rate with district-level numbers How LI taxes are calculatedThe full formula, step by step Lowest taxes on LIDistricts and ZIPs with the smallest bills LI vs ConnecticutIf you're considering a cross-border move Nassau vs QueensThe city-line comparison most homebuyers ask about North Shore vs South Shore28 vs 56 districts, real spread

Sources & citations

Last verified: 2026-05-23. Tax rules change; we re-verify each page quarterly.

Estimates and educational content only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify with your county or town receiver, an attorney, or a CPA before making financial decisions.