Property Tax in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
In Delaware County, Pennsylvania, the typical homeowner pays $6,001 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $302,400. The figures on this page are the Census Bureau's published medians (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023), shown exactly as released.
What the Delaware County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $6,001 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Delaware County, and $302,400 is the middle home value. Neither figure describes a specific property — together they describe the typical homeowner's situation in the county.
The derived effective rate for Delaware County is 1.98% (median tax ÷ median value). Treat it as an estimate for comparison only: it comes from survey medians of different households, not from the county's rate schedule.
The key figures for Delaware County
| Measure | Delaware County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $6,001 |
| Median home value | $302,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.98% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $500 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $1,984 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $7,936 |
For context, the Pennsylvania medians are $3,241 of tax on $240,500 of value, and the US medians are $2,969 on $303,400. *Derived figures are estimates from Census medians, not official rates.
Delaware County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Pennsylvania: #2 of 67 counties
- Median home value rank in Pennsylvania: #5 of 67
- Population rank in Pennsylvania: #5 of 67 (576,195 residents)
- Population density rank: #2 of 67 (3,135 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Pennsylvania: #65 of 67 (183 sq mi, 0.4% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $500; per $1,000 of home value: $1.98
How Delaware County compares
Of the 67 Pennsylvania counties with published data, 1 have a higher median property tax bill than Delaware County's $6,001, putting the county at #2 in the state. Its bill is about 85% higher than the state median of $3,241 and about 102% higher than the national median of $2,969.
Rates and values pull in opposite directions: an expensive housing market can produce big bills at ordinary rates. Here the derived rate is 1.98%, versus 0.98% derived nationally, and the median home value ranks #5 within Pennsylvania.
Some extra context for Delaware County: the median bill works out to about $500 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,984 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 576,195 people — the #5 most populous county in Pennsylvania, spread over 183 square miles, a density of about 3,135 people per square mile. Its median home value, $302,400, ranks #5 among the state's 67 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 81 record a higher median tax bill than Delaware County — it sits in the top 3% nationally. The county holds roughly 4.4% of Pennsylvania's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $302,400 versus $240,500), and a decade at the derived rate of 1.98% adds up to about 19.84% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Forest County, medians $1,162 — $4,839 less than Delaware County per year.
Counties nearest Delaware County in the Pennsylvania ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County, PA | $6,191 | $461,800 | 1.34% |
| Bucks County, PA | $5,833 | $421,700 | 1.38% |
| Montgomery County, PA | $5,776 | $409,900 | 1.41% |
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Delaware County's derived rate of 1.98%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $7,936 a year. That is only an illustration using the derived rate — a real bill is computed from the property's assessed value, its exemptions, and the combined rates of its specific taxing districts, so it can be higher or lower.
The usual sequence is: the local assessor values the property; exemptions are applied; the taxable value is multiplied by the combined local rates; and the county bills and collects the tax, distributing it to the schools, municipalities and districts that levied it.
Checking your assessment in Delaware County
If your bill looks wrong, work through these steps:
1. Get your property record card from the assessor and check the basics — living area, lot size, bedrooms, condition, and any exemptions you should have.
2. Compare your assessed value with recent sale prices of similar homes in Delaware County.
3. Talk to the assessor's office informally first; clear errors are often fixed without a hearing.
4. If needed, file a formal appeal with the local review board before the deadline on your assessment notice, with your evidence attached.
5. Keep paying the bill as issued while the appeal runs, unless your notice says otherwise — unpaid taxes accrue penalties regardless of an appeal.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Delaware County, Pennsylvania?
The median real estate tax paid in Delaware County, Pennsylvania is $6,001 per year, on a median home value of $302,400 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Delaware County, Pennsylvania?
The derived effective rate is 1.98% — the median bill ($6,001) expressed as a share of the median home value ($302,400). No authority sets a rate this way; it exists to make counties with different home prices comparable.
How does Delaware County compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Delaware County ranks #2 of 67 Pennsylvania counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $6,001 is about 85% higher than the Pennsylvania median of $3,241.
How are property taxes calculated in Delaware County, Pennsylvania?
Three steps produce the bill: an assessment of market value by the local assessor, a reduction for exemptions you qualify for (a homestead exemption is the common one), and multiplication by the combined rates of the county, municipality, school district and any special districts covering the property. The median result in Delaware County is $6,001 of tax on a $302,400 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Delaware County, Pennsylvania?
Yes. Request your property record card from the Delaware County assessor's office and check it for errors, then compare your assessed value with recent sales of similar homes. If it still looks too high, file a formal appeal with the local review board named on your assessment notice before the deadline printed on the notice — windows are short, often 30 to 90 days.