New Jersey Voters 50+ Want the State to Make Lowering Property Taxes a High Priority

AARP in New Jersey surveyed voters age 50 and older to gauge their current personal economic situation and their opinion on state property tax relief programs and proposals. 

Key Findings

• The majority (78%) of New Jersey voters age 50+ place a high priority on state policy makers lowering property taxes.
  
  
• Nearly two in five (38%) have difficulty paying their property taxes each month, with more than half (60%) paying at least $9,000 annually. 
    
•  More than one-third of homeowners with household incomes less than $50,000 pay at least $9,000 annually in property taxes.
  
  
• The majority of New Jersey voters age 50 and older support changing three key programs to improve or expand property tax relief to more homeowners or renters and create a new one:  The New Jersey Homestead Benefit Program (79%), The New Jersey Senior Freeze Program (80%), and the (new) New Jersey Circuit Breaker Program (74%).  

New Jersey needs to increase awareness of their property tax relief programs, particularly among the lower and middle income groups, who could benefit from them. At least one in three voters age 50 and older with household incomes less than $100,000 say they are unaware of the state's Homestead Benefit Program and at least half of older voters in that income range are unaware of the state's Senior Freeze Program.  

AARP believes that property tax relief should be equitable, targeted, and cost effective.  Property tax relief programs can not only foster housing stability and affordability for homeowners and renters, they can help reduce racial and economic disparities that exist in housing and taxation. 

Methodology

AARP commissioned Alan Newman Research, Inc. to field a survey among 1,002 registered voters in New Jersey age 50-plus to gauge their current financial situation and their opinion on state property tax relief programs and proposals.  The survey was fielded from January 24–February 7, 2022.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Sauer at jsauer@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.