Cook County boasts some of the highest property taxes in the United States, thanks to a litany of issues that we have discussed before. Armed with their triennial reassessment, the Cook County Assessor’s Office (CCAO) hands out higher tax values and bills every year, just as school districts, pensions, and other government bodies raise tax rates. With the equalization factor added to the mix, property taxes are the ultimate assassin for wallets across Cook County. Unlike countless other townships in Cook County, Palos has been spared the worst of the property value hikes that have struck the rest of the state. In 2024, residential values only increased by 0.5%. This number did not rapidly increase in 2025 either, reaching only 1% growth. These halcyon days are about to end, however, as reassessment is set for 2026. This has historically brought value hikes as high as 30% or more. The best... Read More

Barrington Township is quickly becoming one of the wealthiest areas in the United States. As a prosperous suburb of Chicago, Barrington’s various towns and villages feature some of the most exclusive properties in Cook County and the demand to live in the township is at an all-time high. With high demand is great for those trying to sell their homes, it can be a hurdle for those that wish to stay, as the increasing value means higher property taxes. This is complicated further by Illinois already having some of the highest taxes in the nation. The triennial reassessment by the Cook County Assessor’s Office (CCAO) is now hitting the township, meaning values are going through the roof. Residential property has seen an overall value increase of 33%, while commercial properties are up a staggering 47%. The only way to lower these values and the ensuing taxes is to utilize a... Read More

Cook County property taxes have been mired in even more controversy in 2025 than usual. Thanks to a series of computer errors, property tax bills are being released at least a month late, while current valuations and bills are being questioned on validity. While the triennial reassessment churns through the north, other areas around Chicago are feeling the heat as well. This chaos and uncertainty can be confusing and worrying, but it does open the door wide open for property tax protests. Oak Park is in a prime spot. With reassessment only a year away, now is one of the best times to appeal property taxes, setting a baseline for the inevitable hammering to come. While value increases in 2025 have been low, veteran Cook County taxpayers know that next year could bring value rises above 30%, even more in some situations. If Oak Park residents act now, they can... Read More

While many collar counties have a strong relationship with Chicago, Dundee Township is truly joined at the hip with Cook County. As one of the top suburban areas in the region, Dundee Township has been seeing its fortunes rise every year, thanks to population migration and economic growth. Popular for getaways and as an alternative to busy city life, the area is quickly becoming one of the most popular in the entire region. While being intimately connected with Chicago has plenty of advantages, Dundee Township is also starting to see plenty of spillover from the many issues in Cook County. The No. 1 problem is rising property values and taxes. These have been hitting record levels across all of Illinois, but the collar counties in particular have been at the heart of the storm. Property tax appeals have become an ever-popular way to fight rising prices, but the time to... Read More

McHenry County sits at an inflection point between its rural past and a suburban future. As the collar counties around Chicago continue to grow, parts of the quaint past drop away, leaving the area open to development. All across McHenry County, townships have been seeing their value rapidly increase. This is not the result of a focused reassessment, but the result of general growth that is bleeding into the area. Dorr Township fits well into this gray area. Stuck between the urbanizing east and rural west, Dorr Township is a microcosm of the coming changes. Much larger than neighboring Chemung and Richmond Townships, Dorr is currently experiencing some of the highest property value growth in McHenry County. Whether a result of economic growth or simply overzealous assessment, the only way to lower these rapidly increasing values is with property tax protests. O’Connor will discuss how fast Dorr Township’s property values... Read More