Highland Park property owners paid property taxes equal to 3.1% of their home values in the fourth quarter of 2025—more than 3.4 times higher than the national average, according to BlockShopper.com.
BlockShopper.com data show the median sales price for a Highland Park home during the same period was $1,613,840 with 21 properties selling. The city’s median tax bill for 2025 was $49,344, amounting to 3.1% of the median assessed value.
The average effective property tax rate in the U.S. was 0.888% in 2024.
Within Dallas County, Mesquite and University Park recorded the highest property tax rates.
The calculations for the effective 2025 property tax rate in this article use estimated inflation values and county tax data from 2020; actual effective rates may differ somewhat.
Across the U.S., home prices continued to increase in 2025, with the national median rising to about $447,000 in June, 1.13% higher than the prior year, Redfin reported. Supply outpaced demand nationally, with 36% more homes for sale than buyers, a difference of 508,715 properties. Redfin defines a balanced market as one where the gap between sellers and buyers remains within 10%.
The table below shows a comparison of Mesquite and other Dallas County cities, ranked by median effective property tax rate, as calculated from sales and tax data for the fourth quarter of 2025.
| City | Q4 2025 Sales | Q4 2025 Median Price | Median tax 2025 | Effective tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesquite | 406 | $154,165 | $5,446 | 3.5% |
| University Park | 60 | $1,190,570 | $41,999 | 3.5% |
| Richardson | 279 | $254,820 | $8,597 | 3.4% |
| Sachse | 46 | $253,485 | $8,544 | 3.4% |
| Duncanville | 92 | $176,780 | $5,796 | 3.3% |
| Garland | 670 | $187,905 | $6,277 | 3.3% |
| Lewisville | 4 | $283,690 | $9,257 | 3.3% |
| Rowlett | 188 | $244,630 | $8,042 | 3.3% |
| Grand Prairie | 277 | $168,180 | $5,479 | 3.3% |
| Addison | 42 | $346,025 | $11,147 | 3.2% |
| Balch Springs | 47 | $129,830 | $4,158 | 3.2% |
| Cedar Hill | 142 | $200,845 | $6,475 | 3.2% |
| DeSoto | 151 | $216,300 | $6,922 | 3.2% |
| Lancaster | 59 | $177,640 | $5,612 | 3.2% |
| Seagoville | 27 | $137,280 | $4,313 | 3.1% |
| Carrollton | 126 | $243,460 | $7,435 | 3.1% |
| Farmers Branch | 87 | $240,830 | $7,501 | 3.1% |
| Highland Park | 21 | $1,613,840 | $49,344 | 3.1% |
| Sunnyvale | 16 | $385,160 | $12,073 | 3.1% |
| Wilmer | 3 | $80,600 | $2,505 | 3.1% |
| Coppell | 100 | $443,510 | $12,833 | 2.9% |
| Glenn Heights | 40 | $200,160 | $5,860 | 2.9% |
| Irving | 299 | $228,130 | $6,629 | 2.9% |
| Dallas | 2,467 | $213,870 | $5,786 | 2.7% |
| Hutchins | 8 | $137,310 | $2,930 | 2.1% |
| Wylie | 2 | $245,995 | $3,331 | 1.4% |