I know some people in NJ who would argue with you and Vermont isn't much better.
real estate taxes are a real killer in NJ. I know people who have been forced from their family home because of the escalation in their property value.
When I say family home, I mean a property that has been in the family for generations.
PA has a quirky rule, properties can't be spot reassessed. The entire county has to be done at the same time (tax year). Very impractical, so your official property value is typically listed as $5000 or something strange, not $750,000. Therefore the only way to raise more money from real estate is to vote the tax increase, since that's done at the township (town) and school district level, the boards are real reluctant to do so. So it's honest.
Back in the late 70's New Jersey started the state income tax, only the revenue didn't go to the general fund, it went to what was called the Homestead Rebate Program. An effort to equalize across the state real estate tax burdens. Their sales tax use to be lower than PA as well.
But that's changed over the decades, liberal policies in Trenton and the major cities (which are all dumps) makes it a high cost / tax state.
Believe it or not, PA is very friendly to retirees. Weather isn't great, but income tax is relatively low and there are some reasonable home prices in areas further away from Philadelphia (Delaware Valley) area.
Probably could snag a nice Lake Erie waterfront property cheap - if you like winter that is.
m.
