Calculator
The tax nobody mentions until closing day.
Most states charge a tax simply for handing a house from one person to another. It is not the property tax and it is not a fee your lender sets — it is a separate charge, paid in cash on the day, and it varies enormously. On a $440,600.00 home it runs to $12,777.40 in District of Columbia. 14 states charge nothing at all.
Real estate transfer taxes are levied on conveyance, separately from property tax and from lender and title fees. They are due in cash at settlement and are not financeable. At the $440,600 national median the modeled range runs from zero in 14 jurisdictions to $12,777 in District of Columbia, against a national average of $4,661 in lender and title fees on top.
What closing really costs you
transfer tax appliesClosing is paid out of money that has already been taxed. To hand over $5,102 you have to earn $7,547 on top of what you make now — the gap is federal tax, payroll tax and Ohio's own income tax, taken on the way through. No lender's estimate shows you that number.
The transfer tax shown is for a home at the national median price of $440,600. It is deliberately not scaled to another price: several states charge a flat or bracketed fee rather than a percentage, so scaling would be wrong for them. Down payment is not included — this is closing only.
Transfer tax, every state
All at the same house price, so the column compares like with like. Add about $4,661.00 of lender and title fees to every row — those are roughly the same wherever you buy.
Point estimates at a constant conveyance value, each carrying its own statutory citation. ⚠️ Several states levy a flat or bracketed charge rather than a percentage, so these figures do not scale linearly to other prices and are deliberately not scaled here.
| State | Transfer tax | Cash to close |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $12,777 | $17,438 |
| Delaware | $11,015 | $15,676 |
| New Hampshire | $6,609 | $11,270 |
| Washington | $4,847 | $9,508 |
| Vermont | $4,537 | $9,198 |
| Pennsylvania | $4,406 | $9,067 |
| New Jersey | $3,605 | $8,266 |
| Connecticut | $3,305 | $7,966 |
| Michigan | $3,305 | $7,966 |
| Rhode Island | $3,305 | $7,966 |
| Florida | $3,084 | $7,745 |
| Maryland | $2,203 | $6,864 |
| Massachusetts | $2,009 | $6,670 |
| Maine | $1,939 | $6,600 |
| New York | $1,762 | $6,423 |
| Nevada | $1,718 | $6,379 |
| Tennessee | $1,630 | $6,291 |
| Virginia | $1,542 | $6,203 |
| Nebraska | $1,463 | $6,124 |
| Arkansas | $1,454 | $6,115 |
| Minnesota | $1,454 | $6,115 |
| Wisconsin | $1,322 | $5,983 |
| South Carolina | $1,146 | $5,807 |
| West Virginia | $969 | $5,630 |
| North Carolina | $881 | $5,542 |
| Iowa | $705 | $5,366 |
| Oklahoma | $661 | $5,322 |
| California | $485 | $5,146 |
| Alabama | $441 | $5,102 |
| Georgia | $441 | $5,102 |
| Hawaii | $441 | $5,102 |
| Illinois | $441 | $5,102 |
| Kentucky | $441 | $5,102 |
| Ohio | $441 | $5,102 |
| South Dakota | $441 | $5,102 |
| Colorado | $44 | $4,705 |
| Arizona | $2 | $4,663 |
| Alaska | $0 | $4,661 |
| Idaho | $0 | $4,661 |
| Indiana | $0 | $4,661 |
| Kansas | $0 | $4,661 |
| Louisiana | $0 | $4,661 |
| Mississippi | $0 | $4,661 |
| Missouri | $0 | $4,661 |
| Montana | $0 | $4,661 |
| New Mexico | $0 | $4,661 |
| North Dakota | $0 | $4,661 |
| Oregon | $0 | $4,661 |
| Texas | $0 | $4,661 |
| Utah | $0 | $4,661 |
| Wyoming | $0 | $4,661 |
Where the money goes
A $75,000 Texas salary
- Federal income tax$7,670
- Social Security and Medicare$5,738
- Yours$61,593
| Federal income tax10.23% | $7,670 |
|---|---|
| Social Security and Medicare7.65% | $5,738 |
| Yours82.12% | $61,593 |
If the money stayed put
A $75,000 Texas salary
| Spent today | $1,200 |
|---|---|
| Growth given up | $949 |
| Pay needed to buy it | $1,706 |
Assumes a 6% annual return that you can edit.
Transfer tax figures are point estimates at the $440,600 national median sale price, each sourced to the statute or revenue department that levies it. Local city and county transfer taxes can apply on top and are not included. Down payment is not included — this page is about closing only.