Tax Delinquent Properties

The Tax Delinquent Properties indicator measures the proportion of properties that are tax delinquent in a neighborhood. Property taxes are an important source of revenue for local governments to fulfill public services, such as police and fire services. Property taxes also heavily fund public K-12 education—another pertinent domain that is included in the HCAT. A high density of tax delinquent properties is detrimental for the economic vitality in the neighborhoods. Research shows that homes that are within 500ft of a tax delinquent property sell for 1-2% less than homes that are not as proximate to delinquent properties. This may seem marginal in terms of percentages, but can amount to thousands of dollars in economic loss in absolute terms; thus, eroding personal and neighborhood wealth. Data for the Tax Delinquent indicator comes from the Alabama Department of Revenue.

Neighborhoodsort descending Indicator Value Rank
Acipco-Finley 17.7% 41
Airport Highlands 32.0% 91
Apple Valley 6.4% 23
Arlington - West End 22.7% 64
Belview Heights 9.0% 27
Bridlewood 7.0% 25
Brown Springs 28.5% 85
Brownsville Heights 42.0% 99
Brummitt Heights 40.3% 97
Bush Hills 13.7% 35
Central City 1.1% 8
Central Park 18.8% 49
Central Pratt 36.5% 95
College Hills 10.8% 29
Collegeville 26.8% 77
Crestline 0.1% 1
Crestwood North 2.5% 14
Crestwood South 0.6% 5
Dolomite 18.2% 44
Druid Hills 24.6% 71
East Avondale 11.7% 32
East Birmingham 28.0% 81
East Brownville 21.9% 63
East Lake 20.8% 58
East Thomas 19.1% 50
Eastwood 0.4% 2
Echo Highlands 2.1% 13
Enon Ridge 32.8% 92
Ensley 23.8% 68
Ensley Highlands 18.6% 47
Evergreen 31.1% 89
Fairmont 40.8% 98
Fairview 20.6% 56
Five Points South 1.2% 9
Forest Park 0.5% 4
Fountain Heights 21.1% 60
Garden Highlands 27.4% 79
Gate City 29.3% 87
Germania Park 18.2% 44
Glen Iris 1.7% 11
Grasselli Heights 19.6% 52
Graymont 16.8% 39
Green Acres 8.1% 26
Harriman Park 31.0% 88
Highland Park 0.7% 6
Hillman 18.0% 43
Hillman Park 19.8% 53
Hooper City 31.3% 90
Huffman 2.9% 16
Industrial Center 38.1% 96
Inglenook 26.4% 73
Jones Valley 20.0% 54
Killough Springs 3.0% 17
Kingston 28.3% 82
Liberty Highlands 9.9% 28
Maple Grove 20.3% 55
Mason City 17.7% 41
North Avondale 4.9% 21
North Birmingham 21.8% 62
North East Lake 15.5% 38
North Pratt 18.7% 48
North Titusville 27.8% 80
Norwood 18.3% 46
Oak Ridge 28.4% 84
Oak Ridge Park 26.3% 72
Oakwood Place 21.1% 60
Overton 2.0% 12
Oxmoor 3.6% 19
Penfield Park 23.9% 69
Pine Knoll Vista 13.1% 34
Powderly 23.9% 69
Redmont Park 0.7% 6
Riley 21.0% 59
Rising - West Princeton 19.4% 51
Roebuck 6.4% 23
Roebuck Springs 4.3% 20
Roosevelt 23.5% 67
Sandusky 26.4% 73
Sherman Heights 17.4% 40
Smithfield 22.7% 64
Smithfield Estates 6.0% 22
South East Lake 13.7% 35
South Pratt 28.3% 82
South Titusville 11.1% 31
South Woodlawn 26.5% 76
Southside 1.5% 10
Spring Lake 3.0% 17
Sun Valley 0.4% 2
Tarpley City 29.0% 86
Thomas 15.0% 37
Tuxedo 23.4% 66
Wahouma 33.7% 93
West Brownville 34.8% 94
West End Manor 12.4% 33
West Goldwire 2.7% 15
Woodland Park 10.8% 29
Woodlawn 27.3% 78
Wylam 26.4% 73
Zion City 20.7% 57

Key Citations:
1. Whitaker, Stephan and Thomas J. Fitzpatrick IV. 2013. “Deconstructing Distressed-Property Spillovers: The Effects of Vacant, Tax-Delinquent, and Foreclosed Properties in Housing Submarkets.” Journal of Housing Economics 22(2):79–91.