How much are closing costs by state?

For sellers, total closing costs typically run 6–10% of the sale price nationally — most of it commissions (5–6%) plus 1–4% in transfer tax, title, escrow, and recording depending on the state. For buyers, closing costs run 2–5% of the loan amount. Transfer-tax-heavy states like Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington sit at the high end; Texas, Missouri, and the states with no transfer tax sit at the low end.

Which states have no real estate transfer tax?

Thirteen states charge no state-level real estate transfer tax: Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. A few of these (notably Oregon's Washington County) still allow local transfer taxes.

Who customarily pays for title insurance — buyer or seller?

It varies by state and even by county. Sellers customarily pay the owner's title policy in most of the South and West (Florida — except a few counties, Texas, Southern California, Nevada, Arizona). Buyers customarily pay in the Northeast, the Midwest, and Northern California. Customs are always negotiable in the purchase contract.

What is the highest transfer tax state?

Delaware has the highest combined state and local real estate transfer tax in the country at 4.0% of the sale price (split 2% state / 2% local), typically paid 50/50 by buyer and seller. New York City stacks a state transfer tax with a Mansion Tax that reaches 3.9% on $25M+ sales. Los Angeles adds Measure ULA at 4% on $5.4M+ sales on top of the California 0.11% base.

Nationwide seller & buyer guide

Closing costs by state, all 50 (2026)

Closing costs are the single most confusing line on any real estate transaction because every state — and often every county — has its own transfer tax, title custom, and escrow practice. This guide gives you a plain-English breakdown for all 50 states, then hands off to a free state-specific Sumline net sheet or investor ROI calculator to run the actual numbers.

Quick answer: what closing costs really are

"Closing costs" is a bucket that includes every third-party charge, tax, and prorated expense paid at settlement — separate from your down payment and separate from agent commissions. The bucket splits between buyer and seller by state custom.

Seller side (national avg): 6–10% of sale price
Buyer side (national avg): 2–5% of loan amount

The 8 line items that appear in every state

Real estate transfer tax (state and/or county/city)
Owner's title insurance policy
Lender's title insurance policy
Escrow / settlement / attorney fee
County recording fee & deed prep
Prorated property taxes and HOA dues
Mortgage payoff (seller) or loan origination (buyer)
Home warranty, survey, inspection, and other negotiables

What changes state to state is who pays what, how the transfer tax is calculated, and whether an attorney or escrow company handles closing.

States with no real estate transfer tax

These 13 states charge no state-level transfer tax. Sellers here usually see closing costs at the low end of the range:

Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi
Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota
Oregon (except Washington County), Texas, Utah, Wyoming

High–transfer-tax states to plan around

Delaware: 4.0% combined (highest in the US)
New York: 0.4% state + NYC 1.0–1.425% + Mansion Tax up to 3.9%
Pennsylvania: 2.0% combined (Philadelphia zones higher)
Washington: graduated REET 1.1–3.0%
Vermont: 1.25% on the buyer
Connecticut: 0.75–2.25% on the seller
California: 0.11% base + city taxes (LA Measure ULA up to 5.5%)
Florida: $0.70 per $100 doc stamps (Miami-Dade lower for SF homes)

Title-insurance customs, by region

Seller pays owner's policy: Florida (most counties), Texas, Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, most of the South.
Buyer pays owner's policy: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, most of the Midwest, Northern California, Washington, Oregon.
Split or negotiated: Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and a handful of Florida counties.

Attorney vs. escrow states

About a dozen states legally require an attorney to handle real estate closings — expect a $600–$1,500 attorney fee in addition to (or instead of) an escrow fee:

Attorney states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia.
Escrow / title-agent states: everywhere else, led by California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Washington.

Seller closing costs at a glance

Typical seller-side totals on a $500,000 sale, excluding commissions:

Low (TX, MO, ID, MT, most no-transfer-tax states): $2,500 – $5,000 (0.5–1.0%)
Mid (FL, GA, NC, AZ, TN, OH): $5,000 – $10,000 (1.0–2.0%)
High (CA, NY, PA, WA, DE, VT, CT): $10,000 – $25,000+ (2.0–5.0%+)

Buyer closing costs at a glance

Typical buyer-side totals on a $400,000 loan:

Loan origination & underwriting: $2,000 – $4,000
Appraisal: $500 – $800
Lender's title insurance: $400 – $1,200
Owner's title (in buyer-pays states): $1,500 – $3,000
Prepaid escrow (taxes + insurance): $2,000 – $6,000
Recording, credit report, flood cert: $200 – $500

Run the exact numbers for your state

Sumline's state-specific calculators apply that state's transfer tax formula, title-and-escrow customs, and 2026 commission defaults automatically. Pick your state and download a client-ready PDF in under a minute:

Seller net sheet — Florida Seller net sheet — California Rental ROI — Florida Rental ROI — Texas

Every US state is supported — start any calculator and switch the state in the header.