Property Tax in Gloucester County, New Jersey

Property Tax in Gloucester County

A calculator and field guide for Glassboro-area homeowners — and for anyone considering a move to Gloucester 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.

Gloucester County, home to Woodbury and 307k 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 Gloucester 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 Gloucester County average, this is approximately $2.60 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. Gloucester County's average effective rate is approximately 2.60%.

Intra-county variation is dramatic. Gloucester County's average effective rate is 2.60%, 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.

Gloucester County rate breakdown (avg general tax rate per $100 of assessed value, Woodbury district)

Taxing entity	Rate
Gloucester County avg effective tax rate (per $100 of market value)	2.6000
Combined total	2.6000

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 Gloucester 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: Gloucester County carries the highest effective property tax rate of the seven counties added here at about 2.60%, applied to a comparatively modest median home value of $310,400 for a median bill of $8,055. It is a South Jersey commuter county — much of its growth since the 1990s has come from Philadelphia-bound households trading Camden County prices for Route 55 and Route 42 access.

Note: Rates cluster tightly at the top of the county and then fall away sharply. Woodbury, the county seat, posts the highest effective rate at 3.254%, followed by Paulsboro at 3.225% and Woodbury Heights at 3.217%. Logan Township is the outlier at the bottom with an effective rate of 1.487% — its large industrial and warehouse ratable base carries much of the levy that residential owners pay elsewhere in the county.

Note: Gloucester’s general tax rates run high in absolute terms — Woodbury is 4.865 per $100 of assessed value — but most of the county’s municipalities assess near market value, so the general and effective rates stay closer together here than in older, less frequently revalued parts of 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 Gloucester 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 Gloucester County

This guide lists 12 selected communities in or associated with Gloucester 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 Gloucester County is subject to Gloucester County's tax rolls, while the portion outside is subject to the adjacent county's.

City or town	Type	Population (2020)
Glassboro	borough	23,700
Williamstown	Census-designated place	14,700
Woodbury County seat	city	10,000
Clayton	borough	8,900
Pitman	borough	8,900
Paulsboro	borough	6,200
Beckett	Census-designated place	5,000
Mullica Hill	Census-designated place	4,600
Westville	borough	4,300
Gibbstown	Census-designated place	3,700
Woodbury Heights	borough	3,100
Swedesboro	borough	2,700

About city-level property tax rates: The rate breakdown and calculator on this page use a representative district around Woodbury. Other cities in Gloucester 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 Gloucester County Board of Taxation before relying on any estimate.

Frequently asked questions

When are Gloucester 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 Gloucester 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 Gloucester County

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

Weird fact

In June 1967 Glassboro State College hosted three days of talks between US President Lyndon Johnson and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin. The town was chosen at roughly a day’s notice largely because it sat about halfway between Washington and the United Nations in New York, and the college president’s house was emptied of its family to host the meetings.

Hometown hero

Henry Rowan

The industrialist gave Glassboro State College $100 million in 1992 — at the time the largest gift ever made to a public college in the United States — and the institution was renamed Rowan University in his honour.

Biggest annual event

Gloucester County 4-H Fair

A four-day agricultural fair each July at the county fairgrounds in Mullica Hill, combining livestock and craft judging with rides and a demolition derby.

Property Tax in Gloucester County