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State Municipal Index • NJ
New Jersey Property Tax Drift Index
State Avg Drift Score
64/100
New Jersey Municipal Risk Briefing
State Comptroller & US Census Bureau (NJ)August 2026
New Jersey maintains an average TaxDrift Score of 64/100 across monitored jurisdictions. Overlapping municipal bond issuances and assessment equalization rollbacks determine local millage carrying costs under statutory rules.
Population
9,290,841
Avg Effective Tax Rate
2.4%
Total Tracked Muni Debt
$25.6B
Counties Monitored
3
Statutory Tax Caps & Voter-Approval Rules (NJ)
2% statutory property tax levy cap for municipalities and school districts.
Audited Counties in New Jersey
New Jersey County Tax Drift Leaderboard
3 Jurisdictions Audited| Rank | Jurisdiction | Drift Score | Risk Tier | Muni Debt / Cap | CAD Lag Spread | 3-Yr Tax Shock | Audit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Essex County, NJ | 77.2 | High | $10,400 | +24.5% | +$3,802/yr | View |
| #2 | Bergen County, NJ | 58 | Elevated | $9,600 | +22.0% | +$3,976/yr | View |
| #3 | Middlesex County, NJ | 57.2 | Elevated | $8,800 | +21.0% | +$2,817/yr | View |