Property Tax in Fayette County, Pennsylvania
The median real estate tax bill in Fayette County, Pennsylvania is $1,516 per year, and the median home is worth $126,900. Both figures are the US Census Bureau's survey medians for owner-occupied households (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What the Fayette County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $1,516 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Fayette County, and $126,900 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 Fayette County is 1.20% (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.
Fayette County by the numbers
| Measure | Fayette County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $1,516 | $3,241 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $126,900 | $240,500 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.20% | 1.35% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $126 | $270 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Fayette County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Pennsylvania: #58 of 67 counties
- Median home value rank in Pennsylvania: #59 of 67
- Population rank in Pennsylvania: #27 of 67 (126,967 residents)
- Population density rank: #32 of 67 (161 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Pennsylvania: #24 of 67 (790 sq mi, 1.8% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $126; per $1,000 of home value: $1.20
How Fayette County compares
Set against its state, Fayette County's median bill of $1,516 is about 53% lower than the Pennsylvania median ($3,241). Against the country as a whole it is about 49% lower than the US median ($2,969). That places the county #58 of 67 Pennsylvania counties ranked by median taxes paid.
Remember what drives the ranking: bills follow home values as much as rates. Fayette County's median home, at $126,900, ranks #59 by value in Pennsylvania, while its derived rate of 1.20% compares with a derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Fayette County: the median bill works out to about $126 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,195 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 126,967 people — the #27 most populous county in Pennsylvania, spread over 790 square miles, a density of about 161 people per square mile. Its median home value, $126,900, ranks #59 among the state's 67 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 1601 record a higher median tax bill than Fayette County — it sits in the top 51% nationally. The county holds roughly 1.0% of Pennsylvania's people. Its homes are worth less than the state norm (median $126,900 versus $240,500), and a decade at the derived rate of 1.20% adds up to about 11.95% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Forest County, medians $1,162 — $354 less than Fayette County per year.
Counties nearest Fayette County in the Pennsylvania ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon County, PA | $1,648 | $180,300 | 0.91% |
| McKean County, PA | $1,615 | $98,700 | 1.64% |
| Venango County, PA | $1,509 | $114,500 | 1.32% |
| Clearfield County, PA | $1,488 | $125,000 | 1.19% |
Fayette County and its population peers
Counties of a similar size can tax very differently. The table below shows the counties closest to Fayette County in population across the United States, with their median bills and home values. Within the group of 9, Fayette County ($1,516) ranks #4 of 9 by median tax paid.
| County | Population | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapides Parish, LA | 128,470 | $1,024 | $179,100 | 0.57% |
| Sebastian County, AR | 128,448 | $1,081 | $166,000 | 0.65% |
| Berkshire County, MA | 128,047 | $3,891 | $283,800 | 1.37% |
| Bonneville County, ID | 127,056 | $1,811 | $327,000 | 0.55% |
| Chautauqua County, NY | 126,329 | $2,846 | $119,300 | 2.39% |
| Berkeley County, WV | 126,165 | $1,353 | $248,000 | 0.55% |
| Faulkner County, AR | 126,001 | $1,201 | $211,300 | 0.57% |
| Saline County, AR | 125,724 | $1,335 | $211,700 | 0.63% |
The closest population match is Bonneville County, Idaho (127,056 residents), where the median real estate tax paid is $1,811 on a median home value of $327,000 — $295 less than Fayette County pays.
Staying within Pennsylvania, the counties nearest Fayette County by population are Schuylkill County (143,259 residents, median tax $2,147 on a median value of $140,400); Cambria County (132,355 residents, median tax $1,487 on a median value of $115,900); Blair County (121,854 residents, median tax $1,711 on a median value of $156,700); Lycoming County (113,570 residents, median tax $2,647 on a median value of $195,600). The spread in their median bills — all under the same state framework — shows how much of the property tax burden is decided county by county and district by district.
How the tax is worked out
As an illustration of the arithmetic: at Fayette County's derived rate of 1.20%, a home valued at $400,000 would carry a tax bill of roughly $4,780 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.
Illustrative bills in Fayette County at the derived rate
The derived rate of 1.20% is only an estimate built from medians, but applying it to different home values gives a sense of scale for Fayette County — and a quick way to compare with the state derived rate of 1.35% and the US figure of 0.98%:
| Home value | Illustrative tax / year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $1,792 | $149 |
| $250,000 | $2,988 | $249 |
| $350,000 | $4,182 | $349 |
| $500,000 | $5,975 | $498 |
| $750,000 | $8,962 | $747 |
Illustration only: real bills are computed from the assessed value, exemptions, and the combined rates of the property's actual taxing districts.
Checking your assessment in Fayette County
Believe your assessment is too high? The practical order of attack is: obtain your record card and audit it line by line; collect comparable recent sales in Fayette County; ask the assessor's office to correct anything plainly wrong; and, if the value still seems off, lodge a formal appeal ahead of the deadline printed on your assessment notice. Windows are short — often 30 to 90 days — and late appeals are usually rejected outright, however strong the case.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the median property tax in Fayette County, Pennsylvania?
The median real estate tax paid in Fayette County, Pennsylvania is $1,516 per year, on a median home value of $126,900 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Fayette County, Pennsylvania?
Dividing Fayette County's median tax bill ($1,516) by its median home value ($126,900) gives a derived effective rate of 1.20%. This is an estimate computed from two Census survey medians — it is not the county's official tax rate.
How does Fayette County compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
By median taxes paid, Fayette County stands at #58 among the 67 Pennsylvania counties the Census publishes figures for. Its $1,516 median bill is about 53% lower than the state median ($3,241), and 57 counties in the state record a higher median.
How are property taxes calculated in Fayette County, Pennsylvania?
The assessor estimates your property's market value; exemptions (such as a homestead exemption) reduce the taxable amount; and the result is multiplied by the combined rates of the local taxing districts — county, municipality, school district and any special districts. In Fayette County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $1,516 on a median home value of $126,900.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Fayette County, Pennsylvania?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Fayette County assessor's property record card for your home, correct any factual errors, and back your case with comparable recent sales. Formal appeals go to the review board named on your assessment notice and must be filed by its deadline, typically within 30 to 90 days.