Once again, New Jersey had the highest property taxes in the nation last year.

In addition to having the biggest mean bill at $8,549 in 2016, the Garden State also has the highest effective tax rate at 2.31 percent, according to an ATTOM Data Solutions study published by RealtyTrac.com.

The effective tax rate is average annual property tax expressed as a percentage of the average estimated market value of homes.

Of the nine counties in the country where the average bill exceeded $10,000, four are in New Jersey: Essex, Union, Morris and Bergen. The study counted the 586 counties with a population of at least 100,000.

Essex County property owners were saddled with the highest taxes, at an average of $11,550, followed by Bergen County at $11,311 and Union County at $10,821. Cumberland County taxpayers paid the least, $4,027, according to state data from the Department of Community Affairs.

The average residential bill in the state has risen from $8,161 in 2014 to $8,353 in 2015 to $8,549 in 2016.

After New Jersey, Illinois and Texas have the second- and third-highest effective tax rates at 2.13 percent and 2.06 percent, respectively. Pennsylvania (1.89) and New York (1.88) rank seventh and eighth nationally.

Hawaii (0.32 percent), Alabama (0.48 percent) and Colorado (0.52 percent) have the lowest effective property tax rates.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.