Do Queens or Nassau homes in Floral Park and Bellerose have higher property taxes?

Short answer: Neither side is automatically cheaper, because New York City and Nassau apply their tax rates to different assessed values. The fair way to compare two houses is the total yearly dollars on the actual bills, not the tax rates.

More detail. On the Queens side, the NYC Department of Finance values the home and sends one bill: - A one- to three-family house is assessed at no more than 6% of its market value. - Increases are generally capped at 6% a year and 20% over five years, except for new construction or renovations. - The Class 1 rate for tax year 2026 is 19.843%. - Homes assessed at $250,000 or less are billed quarterly. Homes assessed above that are billed twice a year.

Because of those caps, a house that has been owned a long time can have an assessed value well below today's level, and it may keep rising for a new owner.

On the Nassau side, the county assesses the home and the taxes come as separate bills: - The school tax is due in two halves, October 1 and April 1. - The general tax (county, town and special districts) is due in two halves, January 1 and July 1. - Homes inside the incorporated villages of Floral Park or Bellerose also pay a village tax.

For either house, add up the last full year of every bill. Don't subtract any exemptions until you know you qualify. STAR doesn't pass from the seller to the buyer, so a new owner has to register with New York State.

You can challenge your assessment each year on either side of the line: with the NYC Tax Commission in Queens, or with Nassau County's Assessment Review Commission. You don't need a lawyer to file.

Read more: Queens or Nassau Side of Floral Park: How Do Taxes Differ?