The cheapest tax areas statewide are all in rural areas (including parts of Wayne, Daggett, Kane and Rich counties) that tend to offer no-frills services.

The most expensive areas are mostly along the Wasatch Front (although rural Blanding and Roosevelt also made the Top 10 list — where small populations may face extra taxes to afford basic-level equipment and services).

Many of the urban areas on the most-expensive list often have extra, special service districts that can increase taxes.

Kearns — which hit the most-expensive list with two separate areas — has an extra recreation district that operates the Olympic Oval ice skating rink, swimming pools, parks and tennis courts.

The Morning News also looked at the state's 25 most populous communities to show how their taxes vary and give residents a better idea how their taxes may compare with several neighboring communities. (See chart.)

Sometimes taxes vary greatly within the same community.

For example, Draper not only has a community with the highest taxes but below on the valley floor the city has an area with the fourth-cheapest tax overall among the Top 25 communities.

Among the top 25 most populous communities, St. George enjoys the lowest overall property taxes: $1,139 on a $200,000 home.

Other areas with some of the lowest taxes among the top 25 communities include: Provo (with taxes as low as $1,189 on a $200,000 home); Logan (as low as $1,244 on a $200,000 home); Murray (as low as $1,274) and South Salt Lake (as low as $1,299).

Some of the areas with the highest taxes among the top 25 most populous communities are: Kearns (as high as $1,942 on a $200,000 home), West Jordan (as high as $1,937 on a $200,000 home), Ogden (as high as $1,909), Cottonwood Heights (as high as $1,864) and Salt Lake City (as high as $1,843).

Schools tax highest

The Morning News also evaluated how taxes may vary among governments of a similar type — county governments, cities, school districts and other districts.

School districts charge the highest taxes of all local governments and residents often pay half or more of their total property tax bill to them. Taxes range from a high of $1,101 on a $200,000 home in Nebo School District in Utah County, to a low of $450 — less than half as much — in tiny Daggett County School District.

Other school districts that charge the most on a $200,000 home are: Tintic School District ($989), Tooele County School District ($978), Jordan School District ($952) and Beaver County School District ($939.18).