Jacksonville homeowners are seeing their property‑tax bills climb far faster than the value of their homes, according to a new ConsumerAffairs analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. The study, highlighted by News4JAX, found that the typical property‑tax bill in the Jacksonville metro area rose 21.7% from 2022 to 2024, while median home values increased just 8.1% over the same period. That creates a 13.6‑percentage‑point gap, the second‑largest among the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas.
Hoodline reported that only Lakeland‑Winter Haven, Florida, posted a wider gap, with property taxes jumping 28.1% and home values rising 14.2%, a 13.9‑percentage‑point spread, according to WFTV. Two other Florida metros also appeared in the top tier: Palm Bay ranked No. 6 and Cape Coral No. 11, as cited by ClickOrlando.
The imbalance is not a new phenomenon. Both News4JAX and Hoodline note that Jacksonville home values surged double‑digit in 2021 and 2022 before slowing sharply in 2023 as 30‑year mortgage rates rose to about 7%. Over a longer five‑year window (2019‑2024), the ConsumerAffairs report shows home values in the Jacksonville area rose 63.1%, outpacing the 44.9% increase in property taxes, indicating the recent two‑year gap is a more acute, short‑term trend.
Nationally, the trend ran in the opposite direction. ConsumerAffairs data indicate that home values grew 12.4% across the United States from 2022 to 2024, while property taxes rose 10.6% during the same period. Jacksonville was one of 46 metros where taxes grew faster than home values, a pattern researchers caution may be affected by recent changes to Census metro‑area boundaries.
Florida voters will consider a possible remedy in the upcoming November 3 general election. Amendment 3, described by ClickOrlando, would raise the state’s homestead exemption for non‑school property taxes from $25,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments thereafter. The amendment also proposes cutting the annual assessment‑growth cap for non‑homesteaded properties from 10% to 5% to slow future tax‑bill increases. To pass, the measure must receive at least 60% voter approval, according to the Florida Department of State.
What’s next? Jacksonville residents should watch the November 3 ballot for Amendment 3, which could reshape property‑tax calculations beginning in 2027. Homeowners concerned about rising tax bills are encouraged to review the amendment’s details and consider how the proposed changes may affect their future assessments.
Sources: news4jax.com, hoodline.com
