Pennsylvania · FIPS 42071 · ACS 2020–2024
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania property tax rate
Homeowners in Lancaster County paid a median of $3,975 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $301,100 (2020–2024 survey). Taxes came to 1.20% of home value, 4% below the Pennsylvania rate of 1.26% and 28% above the U.S. rate of 0.94%.
- 1.20%Effective tax rate±0.04% margin · Pennsylvania: 1.26%
- $3,975Median tax per yearPennsylvania: $3,311 · U.S.: $3,119
- $301,100Median home valuePennsylvania: $254,500
- 148,550Owner-occupied homes70% of households own
| Measure | Lancaster County | Pennsylvania | U.S. | Lancaster County 2019–2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 1.20% | 1.26% | 0.94% | 1.27% | −0.07 pts |
| Median tax, all owners | $3,975 | $3,311 | $3,119 | $3,941 | +$34 (+0.9%) |
| Median tax, with a mortgage | $4,039 | $3,649 | $3,489 | $3,973 | +$66 (+1.7%) |
| Median tax, no mortgage | $3,875 | $2,819 | $2,576 | $3,881 | −$6 (-0.2%) |
| Median home value | $301,100 | $254,500 | $332,700 | $279,400 | +$21,700 (+7.8%) |
| Total taxes paid | $632,285,000 | $14,642,214,600 | $360,573,527,500 | $625,048,300 |
How Lancaster County compares
- Per $1,000 of home value, owners here paid about $12.00 a year, against $12.55 statewide and $9.40 nationally.
- Rank in Pennsylvania: 38 of 67 counties from lowest to highest effective rate (among those with reliable estimates). Nationally, 81% of 2,682 counties had a lower rate.
- Homes with a mortgage: 1.22% of value; homes without one: 1.17%. Median bills: $4,039 and $3,875.
- Compared with the 2019–2023 survey, the effective rate fell (−0.07 pts) and the median tax changed +$34 (+0.9%). The two 5-year surveys share four years of responses, so year-to-year moves are small and partly noise.
- Margin of error: the effective rate is 1.20% ± 0.04% at 90% confidence, from a sample of the 148,550 owner-occupied homes.
Pennsylvania counties with similar rates
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 1.18% | $2,744 | $240,100 |
| Cambria County | 1.19% | $1,492 | $121,000 |
| Westmoreland County | 1.20% | $2,501 | $203,500 |
| Bucks County | 1.20% | $5,826 | $445,700 |
| Venango County | 1.22% | $1,520 | $119,800 |
| Mifflin County | 1.22% | $2,266 | $156,700 |
| Adams County | 1.22% | $3,561 | $268,500 |
| Chester County | 1.22% | $6,308 | $485,600 |
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table-based summary file: B25090 (aggregate real estate taxes), B25082 (aggregate home value), B25103 (median real estate taxes), B25077 (median home value) and B25003 (tenure); files dated January 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, same tables (files dated October 31, 2024), for the comparison column.
- Geography names: Census Bureau Geos20245YR.txt (file dated January 22, 2026).
Effective rate = total real estate taxes paid by owner-occupied homes ÷ their total value, as reported by owners to the Census Bureau. It is not a millage rate. Your bill depends on your assessed value, exemptions (such as homestead) and local levies.