(By Steve Wilson/The Center Square) – According to a report, Louisiana’s effective property tax rates ranked 39th highest nationally and better than neighboring states.

According to the nonpartisan the Tax Foundation, Louisiana’s effective property tax rate was 0.55% of a property’s value, better than Arkansas (0.57%, 38th), Mississippi (0.74%, 33rd) and Texas (1.58%, seventh).

The report ranked states and counties for their property tax rates.

Compared regionally, only Alabama (0.38%, 49th), South Carolina (0.51%, 46th) and Tennessee (0.55%, 40th) were better.

The top highest property tax rates in Louisiana were in primarily urban and suburban parishes. Orleans was tops, with an average assessed value of $296,400, an average tax bill of $2,428 and effective rate of 0.82%.

St. Tammany Parish, also in the New Orleans metropolitan area, was next highest, with an average value of $272,200, a yearly property tax bill of $2,005 and an effective rate of 0.74%.

It was followed by Bossier Parish ($215,100 average value, $1,380 annual tax bill and 0.64% effective rate), East Baton Rouge ($241,800, $1,547 and 0.64%), Grant ($135,900, $864 and 0.64%), Caddo ($175,900, $1,081 and 0.61%), West Baton Rouge ($225,900, $1,336 and 0.59%), St. Charles ($256,800, $1,475 and 0.57%) and Rapides ($179,100, $1,024 and 0.57%).

The lowest property tax rate was in East Feliciana Parish, with an average property value of $213,700, an annual tax bill of $328 for an effective rate of 0.15%.

Allen Parish was next with an average value of $110,800, annual bill of $199 and an effective rate of 0.18%, followed by Avoyelles ($120,200, $244 and 0.20%), West Carroll ($97,600, $199 and 0.20%), Madison ($90,600, $208 and 0.23%), Evangeline ($118,500, $323 0.27%), Pointe Coupee ($174,500, $491 0.28%), Jefferson Davis ($145,000, $409 0.28%) and East Carroll ($87,400, $251 0.29%).

Nationally, the highest property tax rates were in New Jersey, with an effective rate of 2.23%, followed by Illinois (2.07%), Connecticut (1.92%), New Hampshire (1.77%) and Vermont (1.71%).

Lowest was Hawaii with an effective rate of 0.27%, followed by Alabama (0.38%), Nevada (0.49%), Colorado (0.49%) and South Carolina (0.51%).