‘Taylor Swift Tax’ Sparks a New Housing War—and Your State Could Be Next

Taylor Swift’s $17 million Rhode Island mansion isn’t just a star-studded backdrop anymore—it’s ground zero for a growing tax revolt aimed at the wealthy. Starting next summer, the state will slap a new surcharge on vacation homes worth $1 million or more, a move already dubbed the “Taylor Swift Tax.” The goal: Make deep-pocketed second-home owners pay more, and set the stage for a wave of similar crackdowns from Montana’s mountains to Connecticut’s suburbs. And yet, at the very top of the market, wealthy buyers are still scooping up real estate. As of April 2025, the $1 million-plus category has...