Which PA county has the lowest property tax rate?

Among the major PA counties, Philadelphia (1.31%) and Bucks (1.46%) have the lowest effective property tax rates. However, lower rates don't always mean lower tax bills — Bucks County's median home value of $375,000 means the median annual tax is still $5,475. Chester County at 1.48% has even higher median taxes ($5,772) due to its $390,000 median home value.

Pennsylvania Property Tax Calculator

Q: What is the Homestead Exclusion in Pennsylvania?

The Homestead Exclusion is a state-funded program that reduces the assessed value of your primary residence for school district tax purposes. The exclusion amount varies by school district and is funded by gambling revenue. Some districts offer $0 while others offer $15,000-$40,000+ in assessed value reduction, saving homeowners hundreds of dollars per year.

Estimate your PA property tax by county, compare rates across 8 major counties, and break down your school district tax vs county tax with Homestead Exclusion savings.

Estimate your annual property tax based on home value and PA county

Home value

Current market value of your home

County

Select your Pennsylvania county

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How to Use This Calculator

Annual Tax tab

Enter your home value (market value, not assessed value) and select your PA county. The calculator applies the county's effective tax rate to estimate your annual and monthly property tax. It also shows how your tax compares to the county median.

County Comparison tab

View all 8 major Pennsylvania counties side by side. Each county shows its effective tax rate, median home value, and median annual tax. Counties are sorted from lowest to highest effective rate so you can quickly see where taxes are cheapest and most expensive.

Exemptions & School Tax tab

This is where PA property taxes get interesting. Enter your home value, county, school district tax rate, and Homestead Exclusion amount to see the full breakdown. The calculator separates county/municipal tax from school district tax and shows exactly how much the Homestead Exclusion saves you. Your school district rate is on your tax bill or your district's website.

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Why PA Property Taxes Are Unique

PA property taxes fund schools directly — and your school district tax is often MORE than your county tax. Assessments in many PA counties are frozen at decades-old values, creating bizarre disparities between neighbors.

Two homes on the same street, in the same county, can have wildly different tax bills simply because they fall in different school districts. A $300,000 home in a well-funded suburban school district might pay $7,000+/year in school taxes alone, while a similar home in a neighboring district pays $4,000.

Pennsylvania also has no state law requiring regular reassessments. Some counties (like Philadelphia) reassess annually, while others have not reassessed since the 1970s. This means your "assessed value" may be 20-50% of your actual market value, with a common-level ratio applied to equalize things — in theory.

The Formula

Pennsylvania property tax is the sum of three separate levies:

Total Property Tax = County Tax + Municipal Tax + School District Tax

Where each component:
  Tax = Assessed Value × Millage Rate ÷ 1,000

Effective Rate = Total Tax ÷ Market Value × 100

School Tax with Homestead:
  School Tax = (Assessed Value − Homestead Exclusion) × School Millage ÷ 1,000

Note: Assessed Value ≠ Market Value in most PA counties.
  Assessed Value = Market Value × Common Level Ratio (CLR)

The Common Level Ratio (CLR) is set by the State Tax Equalization Board (STEB) to adjust for outdated assessments. If a county last assessed in 2000, the CLR might be 0.30, meaning a $300,000 home is assessed at $90,000 for tax purposes.

Example

Maria — Homeowner in Montgomery County, PA

Maria owns a $365,000 home in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County. Her school district is Lower Merion School District, one of the highest-funded in PA. She has applied for the Homestead Exclusion.

Tax breakdown

Home market value$365,000

County effective rate1.62%

Estimated county/municipal tax~$2,072/yr

School district rate~2.3%

School tax (before exclusion)~$8,395/yr

Homestead Exclusion$18,540

School tax savings~$426/yr

Total annual tax~$10,041/yr

Monthly escrow~$837/mo

Maria's school district tax is roughly 79% of her total property tax. Without the Homestead Exclusion, she would pay $426 more per year. A neighbor one mile away in a different school district might pay $2,000-3,000 less in total taxes on the same-value home.

FAQ

How are property taxes calculated in Pennsylvania? ▼

Pennsylvania property taxes are levied at the local level by three overlapping jurisdictions: the county, the municipality, and the school district. Each sets its own millage rate, and your total tax is the sum of all three applied to your assessed value. Effective rates typically range from 1.3% to 2.0% of market value depending on county. There is no statewide property tax in Pennsylvania.

Why are PA property tax assessments so outdated? ▼

Pennsylvania has no state law requiring regular reassessments, so counties reassess on their own schedules — or not at all. Some counties like Allegheny last reassessed in 2012, while others like Philadelphia reassess annually. Many rural counties have not reassessed since the 1970s-2000s, creating huge gaps between assessed values and actual market values. The State Tax Equalization Board publishes Common Level Ratios to partially adjust for this, but the system remains uneven.

What is the Homestead Exclusion in Pennsylvania? ▼

The Homestead Exclusion reduces the assessed value of your primary residence for school district tax purposes only. It is funded by gambling revenue distributed to school districts through Act 1. The exclusion amount varies by school district — some offer $0 while others offer $15,000-$40,000+ in assessed value reduction, saving homeowners hundreds of dollars per year. You must apply through your county assessment office and the property must be your primary residence.

Is the school tax really higher than the county tax in PA? ▼

Yes — in most Pennsylvania municipalities, the school district tax is the largest component of your property tax bill, often representing 60-70% of the total. Pennsylvania relies heavily on local property taxes to fund public schools, unlike states with more state-level funding. This is why two homes in the same county but different school districts can have very different tax bills. The quality and funding level of your school district has a direct impact on your property taxes.

Can I appeal my PA property tax assessment? ▼

Yes. You can appeal your assessment to your county's Board of Assessment Appeals, typically by filing before a deadline in the spring or summer (varies by county). You will need to provide evidence that your assessed value is too high, such as comparable sales, an independent appraisal, or evidence of property defects. If the county denies your appeal, you can further appeal to the Court of Common Pleas. Given how outdated many PA assessments are, appeals can be very effective — but be aware that the county can also raise your assessment if they find it is too low.

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