Property Tax in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
The median real estate tax bill in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is $3,941 per year, and the median home is worth $279,400. 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 Lancaster County numbers mean
Read the two medians together: $3,941 is the middle tax bill among owner-occupied households in Lancaster County, and $279,400 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 Lancaster County is 1.41% (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 Lancaster County
| Measure | Lancaster County |
|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid per year | $3,941 |
| Median home value | $279,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.41% |
| Equivalent monthly tax | $328 |
| Tax per $100,000 of value (derived) | $1,411 |
| Illustrative tax on a $400,000 home (derived rate) | $5,644 |
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.
Lancaster County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Pennsylvania: #10 of 67 counties
- Median home value rank in Pennsylvania: #7 of 67
- Population rank in Pennsylvania: #6 of 67 (555,151 residents)
- Population density rank: #9 of 67 (588 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Pennsylvania: #12 of 67 (943 sq mi, 2.1% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $328; per $1,000 of home value: $1.41
How Lancaster County compares
The median tax bill in Lancaster County is about 22% higher than the state median ($3,241 for Pennsylvania) and about 33% higher than the US median ($2,969 nationally). By median taxes paid, the county ranks #10 out of 67 Pennsylvania counties with published Census data — 9 counties in the state have a higher median bill.
Comparisons cut both ways: a county can have a modest rate but high bills because homes are expensive, or a high rate but modest bills because homes are cheaper. Lancaster County's derived rate of 1.41% sits above the derived US figure of 0.98%.
Some extra context for Lancaster County: the median bill works out to about $328 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,411 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 555,151 people — the #6 most populous county in Pennsylvania, spread over 943 square miles, a density of about 588 people per square mile. Its median home value, $279,400, ranks #7 among the state's 67 counties with data.
Nationally, Lancaster County's median bill of $3,941 ranks #237 of 3133 counties with published data — inside the top 8% of counties by tax paid. The county accounts for about 4.3% of Pennsylvania's population, its median home value is about 16% above the state median, and at the derived rate the median home would hand over roughly 14.11% of its value in tax across a decade. Within the state, the distance from Lancaster County to the most expensive county, Chester County ($6,191), is $2,250 a year.
Counties nearest Lancaster County in the Pennsylvania ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berks County, PA | $4,238 | $239,700 | 1.77% |
| York County, PA | $3,947 | $235,000 | 1.68% |
| Adams County, PA | $3,569 | $256,100 | 1.39% |
| Pike County, PA | $3,502 | $250,900 | 1.40% |
How the tax is worked out
Think of the final bill as three ingredients: the assessed value of the property, the exemptions subtracted from it, and the combined rate of every district the property sits in. Lancaster County's medians imply a derived rate of 1.41%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $5,644 a year, or around $470 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Checking your assessment in Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania?
The median real estate tax paid in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is $3,941 per year, on a median home value of $279,400 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania?
On a derived basis, 1.41%: the county's median tax bill of $3,941 divided by its median home value of $279,400. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Lancaster County compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Lancaster County ranks #10 of 67 Pennsylvania counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $3,941 is about 22% higher than the Pennsylvania median of $3,241.
How are property taxes calculated in Lancaster 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 Lancaster County, the median outcome of that process is a bill of $3,941 on a median home value of $279,400.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania?
Yes — appeals are handled locally. Start with the Lancaster 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.