Property Tax in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
In Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the typical homeowner pays $5,776 a year in property taxes on a home worth a median of $409,900. 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 Montgomery County numbers mean
The median is the midpoint of the county's actual bills: half of Montgomery County homeowners pay more than $5,776 a year and half pay less. The exact bill for any one home depends on its assessed value, exemptions, and which school, municipal and special districts cover it.
Set against the median home value of $409,900, the median bill works out to a derived effective rate of 1.41%. That rate is an estimate computed from the two medians — no county publishes a rate calculated this way — but it adjusts for home prices, which makes comparisons between counties more meaningful.
Montgomery County by the numbers
| Measure | Montgomery County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median real estate taxes paid | $5,776 | $3,241 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $409,900 | $240,500 | $303,400 |
| Derived effective rate* | 1.41% | 1.35% | 0.98% |
| Median tax per month | $481 | $270 | $247 |
*Estimate derived from Census medians (tax ÷ value), not an official rate.
Montgomery County at a glance
- Median tax rank in Pennsylvania: #4 of 67 counties
- Median home value rank in Pennsylvania: #3 of 67
- Population rank in Pennsylvania: #3 of 67 (861,225 residents)
- Population density rank: #3 of 67 (1,783 people per square mile)
- Land area rank in Pennsylvania: #47 of 67 (482 sq mi, 1.1% of the combined county land area)
- Median tax as a monthly figure: $481; per $1,000 of home value: $1.41
How Montgomery County compares
Of the 67 Pennsylvania counties with published data, 3 have a higher median property tax bill than Montgomery County's $5,776, putting the county at #4 in the state. Its bill is about 78% higher than the state median of $3,241 and about 95% 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 1.41%, versus 0.98% derived nationally, and the median home value ranks #3 within Pennsylvania.
Some extra context for Montgomery County: the median bill works out to about $481 a month, and the derived rate equals roughly $1,409 of tax per $100,000 of home value. The county is home to 861,225 people — the #3 most populous county in Pennsylvania, spread over 482 square miles, a density of about 1,783 people per square mile. Its median home value, $409,900, ranks #3 among the state's 67 counties with data.
Zooming out: of 3133 counties nationwide with published Census figures, only 88 record a higher median tax bill than Montgomery County — it sits in the top 3% nationally. The county holds roughly 6.6% of Pennsylvania's people. Its homes are worth more than the state norm (median $409,900 versus $240,500), and a decade at the derived rate of 1.41% adds up to about 14.09% of the median home's value in tax. The cheapest county in the state, Forest County, medians $1,162 — $4,614 less than Montgomery County per year.
Counties nearest Montgomery County in the Pennsylvania ranking
| County | Median tax paid | Median home value | Derived rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County, PA | $6,001 | $302,400 | 1.98% |
| Bucks County, PA | $5,833 | $421,700 | 1.38% |
| Northampton County, PA | $4,710 | $285,000 | 1.65% |
| Lehigh County, PA | $4,591 | $276,100 | 1.66% |
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. Montgomery County's medians imply a derived rate of 1.41%; applied illustratively, a $400,000 home would owe about $5,636 a year, or around $470 a month spread evenly. Individual properties depart from the illustration in both directions.
Checking your assessment in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, Pennsylvania?
The median real estate tax paid in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is $5,776 per year, on a median home value of $409,900 (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023).
What is the effective property tax rate in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania?
On a derived basis, 1.41%: the county's median tax bill of $5,776 divided by its median home value of $409,900. Because it is calculated from two survey medians, read it as a comparison estimate rather than an official rate.
How does Montgomery County compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
Montgomery County ranks #4 of 67 Pennsylvania counties with published data by median taxes paid. Its median bill of $5,776 is about 78% higher than the Pennsylvania median of $3,241.
How are property taxes calculated in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County is $5,776 of tax on a $409,900 median home value.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania?
You can. Pull your property record card from the Montgomery County assessor, verify its details, and compare the assessed value against similar homes that sold recently. If the value still seems too high, submit a formal appeal to the board named on your notice before the stated deadline — usually a 30-to-90-day window.