Pennsylvania homeowners pay a typical property tax bill of $3,311 a year, about 1.30% of home value. That puts the state in the top dozen for effective rate. Pennsylvania also has one of the least uniform systems in the country. Each county sets its own assessment rules, many have not reassessed in decades, and school districts collect most of the money. Two similar homes in neighboring counties can be taxed in very different ways.
The numbers at a glance
- Typical homeowner bill: $3,311 (US: $3,119)
- Typical home value: $254,500
- Effective rate: 1.30% (US: 0.94%)
- Typical bill as a share of household income: 4.3%
Figures are medians from the Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey. All 67 counties are on the Pennsylvania page.
Where bills are highest
The Philadelphia suburbs have the biggest bills: Chester County ($6,308), Delaware County ($6,124), Montgomery County ($5,875) and Bucks County ($5,826). Delaware County also has the highest effective rate in the state, about 1.84%, followed by Monroe, Berks and York counties, all above 1.6%.
Philadelphia is the big exception. Its typical bill is $2,003, and its effective rate of about 0.82% is among the lowest in the state. The city collects much of its revenue through a wage tax instead. In Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), the typical bill is $3,451 at a rate of about 1.52%. The lowest rate is in rural Bedford County, about 0.81%.
Three bills, three governments
Most Pennsylvania homeowners pay property tax to three local governments, often on separate bills:
- the county
- the municipality (city, borough or township)
- the school district, usually the largest share by far
County and municipal bills usually arrive in the spring. School bills usually arrive in July or August. Each bill typically has three periods: a 2% discount if you pay within about two months, the face amount for the next stretch, and a 10% penalty after that. Many school districts also offer installment plans. Our guide to school districts explains why the school bill is the biggest.
Assessments: every county does its own
Pennsylvania has no statewide schedule for reassessing property. Each county decides when to update values. Some have not done a countywide reassessment since the 1970s or earlier, so assessed values bear little relation to today’s prices. Others, including Philadelphia, now update values regularly. Allegheny County still uses values set as of 2012.
Old values cause real unfairness. Homes whose prices have risen fast since the last reassessment tend to be under-taxed compared with homes in areas where prices have stagnated. Courts have pushed some counties to reassess, and those reassessments often bring large swings in individual bills.
To compare old assessments with today’s market, the state publishes a common level ratio for each county every year. It estimates how assessed values in that county compare with recent sale prices, and it is used in assessment appeals.
School tax limits and the homestead exclusion
Under Act 1 of 2006, a school district that wants to raise its tax rate above a yearly index set by the state usually has to ask voters, although districts can apply for exceptions for some costs.
The same law created the homestead and farmstead exclusion. State gaming revenue is sent to school districts to lower school taxes on homes where the owner lives. To get it, you file a one-time application with the county assessment office, usually by March 1. Many new owners never file and miss the savings. See our homestead guide.
Philadelphia has its own Homestead Exemption that reduces the taxable value of an owner-occupied home, plus programs that freeze or spread out taxes for long-time and lower-income owners.
Help for seniors and people with disabilities
The state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program pays $380 to $1,000 a year to homeowners and renters 65 and older, widows and widowers 50 and older, and people with disabilities, with household income up to $48,110. Applications for 2025 taxes close December 31, 2026. Read our rebate story and our guide to senior relief.
Appealing your assessment
Appeals go to your county’s Board of Assessment Appeals. Many counties use an August 1 deadline for the next year’s taxes, but dates differ, so check your county’s site. When you appeal, the board applies the common level ratio to the market value it decides on. If your county’s values are very old, ask the board to explain this step, because it decides the final number.
School districts can also appeal assessments they consider too low, which most often happens after a home sells for much more than its assessed value. Our guide on how to appeal covers what to bring.
Comparing places in Pennsylvania
Because rates depend on the county, municipality and school district, two towns a few miles apart can have very different bills. Compare counties on the Pennsylvania page, and look up the school district for the exact address before you buy.
Figures from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey, 2020-2024. How we calculate them.
