Property Tax in Atlantic County, New Jersey

Property Tax in Atlantic County

A calculator and field guide for Atlantic City-area homeowners — and for anyone considering a move to Atlantic County — including New Jersey's General Tax Rate per $100 of assessed value, the high effective rates that produce the nation's largest property tax bills, the substantial intra-county variation between municipalities, and the Senior Freeze (PTR) reimbursement program for income-qualified 65+ homeowners.

Atlantic County, home to Mays Landing and 276k New Jerseyans, operates within New Jersey's notoriously high property tax system. NJ has the highest effective property tax rate in the United States (approximately 2.23% statewide), and 10 of the 26 US counties with average single-family bills exceeding $10,000 are in New Jersey. Within Atlantic County, individual municipalities can vary substantially in rate — strategic municipality selection is critical for relocation buyers.

How the bill is built

New Jersey's calculation is municipality-driven. Step 1: Assessed Value. Most NJ municipalities assess at "true value" (~100% market) but some assess at lower percentages, with the Equalization Ratio bridging stated AV and market. Step 2: General Tax Rate. The municipality publishes a General Tax Rate per $100 of assessed value, combining county, municipal, and school district levies. For the Atlantic County average, this is approximately $2.30 per $100 AV. Step 3: Effective Rate. NJ Treasury also publishes an Effective Tax Rate = General Tax Rate × Equalization Ratio. This is the most apples-to-apples figure for relocation comparisons. Atlantic County's average effective rate is approximately 2.30%.

Intra-county variation is dramatic. Atlantic County's average effective rate is 2.30%, but individual municipalities within the county can range from substantially lower (industrial-only or commercial-heavy boroughs) to substantially higher (older inner-ring suburbs with high school spending). Strategic municipality selection within the same general area can change a buyer's annual tax bill by $3,000-$10,000+ on similar-priced homes.

Senior Freeze (PTR) reimburses tax growth above a base year for income-qualified 65+ homeowners — income limit ~$163,050 for 2024 (one of the most generous senior programs in the country in income terms). The program reimburses the difference between current bill and the bill in your "base year" (typically the year you turned 65 or first qualified). Combined with the ANCHOR direct rebate program ($1,000-$1,750 for income-qualified homeowners), New Jersey retirees can offset substantial annual property tax even though the underlying rates remain the highest in the nation.

100% disabled veterans receive full exemption. Given NJ's very high underlying rates, this is among the most valuable property tax benefits in the United States. File Form V.S.S. with your municipal assessor with VA documentation. Surviving spouses retain the exemption under specific conditions.

Atlantic County rate breakdown (avg general tax rate per $100 of assessed value, Mays Landing district)

Taxing entity	Rate
Atlantic County avg effective tax rate (per $100 of market value)	2.3000
Combined total	2.3000

Data record updated August 17, 2026. This is an editorial update date, not a tax year or a guarantee that every figure has been independently verified.

Sources and scope: Check rates and parcel details with Atlantic County Board of Taxation. Figures may refer to different source years; a county-seat rate does not apply to every address. How we use data and estimates.

Note: Atlantic County has the widest internal tax spread in New Jersey. The shore boroughs at the south end of Absecon Island pay a fraction of what the mainland pays: Longport’s effective rate is 0.698% and Margate City’s 0.920%, while Pleasantville — four miles inland — pays 3.392% and Egg Harbor City 3.124%. That is close to a fivefold difference inside one county.

Note: The reason is the ratable base rather than differing service levels. Longport and Margate are almost entirely high-value second homes with small year-round populations and no significant school enrolment, so a very low rate still funds the budget. Pleasantville and Egg Harbor City have large school populations set against modest property values.

Note: Countywide the median home value is $295,000 against a median bill of $6,776, a 2.30% effective rate. Atlantic City itself sits close to the county average at 2.155% effective, despite a general tax rate of 3.380 — the casino ratable base and the city’s payment-in-lieu-of-taxes arrangements make its assessment picture unlike anywhere else in the state.

Deductions, exemptions, and senior programs for 2026

New Jersey's underlying property tax rates are the highest in the nation, but the state offers several substantial relief programs — particularly for seniors and disabled veterans. Most are filed annually through different forms and agencies.

Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement)

The Senior Freeze ("PTR") reimburses property tax growth above a base year for income-qualified homeowners 65+ or disabled. Income limit is approximately $163,050 for 2024 — among the most generous senior program income limits in the country. The program reimburses the difference between current bill and your "base year" bill (typically the year you turned 65 or first qualified). You continue paying the full bill to your municipality but receive a state reimbursement check. File Form PTR-1 (first-time) or PTR-2 (subsequent years) with the New Jersey Division of Taxation.

ANCHOR (Affordable NJ Communities for Homeowners and Renters)

ANCHOR replaced the older Homestead Benefit program in 2022. Eligible homeowners receive a direct rebate: $1,500 for households earning under $150,000, $1,000 for households earning $150,000-$250,000. Senior homeowners (65+) receive an additional $250. ANCHOR is filed annually with the NJ Division of Taxation, typically with a fall deadline.

$250 Veteran and Senior Deductions

Honorably-discharged veterans (any rating, any age) receive a $250 annual deduction. Senior homeowners 65+ or disabled receive a separate $250 annual deduction. These are filed with your municipal tax assessor (form V.S.S.-Q for veterans, P.T.D. for seniors).

100% Disabled Veterans — Full Exemption

Veterans with 100% service-connected total/permanent disability receive full property tax exemption — among the most valuable property tax benefits in the United States given NJ's very high underlying rates. File Form V.S.S. with your municipal assessor with VA documentation. Surviving spouses retain the exemption under specific conditions.

Appealing your assessment

New Jersey's appeal deadline is April 1 in most counties (Monmouth has alternative timing under the Assessment Demonstration Program). Appeals are filed with the Atlantic County Board of Taxation. NJ uses a 15% "common level range" rule — your assessment must be more than 15% higher than the county equalization ratio applied to your true market value to qualify for adjustment, providing a buffer that protects assessors from minor disputes. Strong appeals require comparable sales data within the prior 12 months. Tax appeal data shows 10-25% reductions are common when supported by quality comps.

Cities and towns in Atlantic County

This guide lists 13 selected communities in or associated with Atlantic County. It is not a complete municipal directory. Local taxing districts can differ between communities and individual addresses.

Data: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census. Populations rounded. Cities marked as "split" straddle a county border — the portion inside Atlantic County is subject to Atlantic County's tax rolls, while the portion outside is subject to the adjacent county's.

City or town	Type	Population (2020)
Atlantic City	city	38,600
Pleasantville	city	20,700
Hammonton	town	14,800
Somers Point	city	10,500
Ventnor City	city	9,300
Absecon	city	9,200
Northfield	city	8,500
Brigantine	city	7,700
Linwood	city	7,000
Mays Landing County seat	Census-designated place	6,400
Margate City	city	5,200
Egg Harbor City	city	4,400
Longport	borough	900

About city-level property tax rates: The rate breakdown and calculator on this page use a representative district around Mays Landing. Other cities in Atlantic County may pay into different school districts, city rates, and special districts — so their combined rates can differ, sometimes substantially. Always verify the specific rates for your address with the Atlantic County Board of Taxation before relying on any estimate.

Frequently asked questions

When are Atlantic County property taxes due?

New Jersey property taxes are paid in quarterly installments: February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1. Each municipality bills separately (NJ has no county-level billing). A 10-day grace period applies after each due date; late payments incur 8% interest on the first $1,500 of delinquency and 18% on amounts above.

Why are New Jersey property taxes so high?

New Jersey funds a substantial portion of public school costs through property tax rather than state income or sales tax. Combined with NJ's 564 separate municipalities (each maintaining its own government, police, and services), per-capita government costs are among the highest in the country — and property tax is the primary funding mechanism. School portion alone typically accounts for 50-65% of the total bill.

How can I qualify for Senior Freeze (PTR)?

You must be 65+ or disabled, have lived in NJ for at least the last 10 years, owned and lived in your current home for at least the last 3 years, and have household income under approximately $163,050 (2024). The program reimburses growth above your "base year" bill — you continue paying the full bill to your municipality and receive a state reimbursement check. File Form PTR-1 (first-time) or PTR-2 (subsequent years).

How do I appeal my assessment?

NJ's appeal deadline is April 1 in most counties (Monmouth has alternative timing under the Assessment Demonstration Program). File with the Atlantic County Board of Taxation. NJ uses a 15% common level range rule — your assessment must be more than 15% higher than the county equalization ratio applied to your true market value to qualify for adjustment. Strong appeals require comparable sales data within the prior 12 months.

About Atlantic County

Beyond the property tax — a few things you might not know about the place.

Weird fact

The property names on the standard American Monopoly board are streets in Atlantic City. Charles Darrow took them from the city he had visited during the Depression, which is why Baltic and Mediterranean sit at the cheap end of the board and Boardwalk and Park Place at the expensive end — and why the board includes a "Marven Gardens" that misspells the real Marven Gardens in neighbouring Margate and Ventnor.

Hometown hero

Enoch "Nucky" Johnson

The Atlantic County treasurer and Republican political boss ran the county as a personal fiefdom for three decades until a 1941 tax-evasion conviction, and was the model for the central character of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.

Biggest annual event

Miss America

First staged on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in 1921 as a "Fall Frolic" designed to keep summer tourists in town past Labor Day, it grew into the best-known pageant in the United States and remains bound up with the city’s identity.

Property Tax in Atlantic County