Pennsylvania · FIPS 42029 · ACS 2020–2024
Chester County, Pennsylvania property tax rate
Homeowners in Chester County paid a median of $6,308 a year in real estate taxes on a median home value of $485,600 (2020–2024 survey). Taxes came to 1.22% of home value, 3% below the Pennsylvania rate of 1.26% and 30% above the U.S. rate of 0.94%.
- 1.22%Effective tax rate±0.03% margin · Pennsylvania: 1.26%
- $6,308Median tax per yearPennsylvania: $3,311 · U.S.: $3,119
- $485,600Median home valuePennsylvania: $254,500
- 153,693Owner-occupied homes75% of households own
| Measure | Chester County | Pennsylvania | U.S. | Chester County 2019–2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effective tax rate | 1.22% | 1.26% | 0.94% | 1.28% | −0.06 pts |
| Median tax, all owners | $6,308 | $3,311 | $3,119 | $6,191 | +$117 (+1.9%) |
| Median tax, with a mortgage | $6,494 | $3,649 | $3,489 | $6,350 | +$144 (+2.3%) |
| Median tax, no mortgage | $5,892 | $2,819 | $2,576 | $5,796 | +$96 (+1.7%) |
| Median home value | $485,600 | $254,500 | $332,700 | $461,800 | +$23,800 (+5.2%) |
| Total taxes paid | $1,036,957,400 | $14,642,214,600 | $360,573,527,500 | $1,010,026,700 |
How Chester County compares
- Per $1,000 of home value, owners here paid about $12.23 a year, against $12.55 statewide and $9.40 nationally.
- Rank in Pennsylvania: 43 of 67 counties from lowest to highest effective rate (among those with reliable estimates). Nationally, 82% of 2,682 counties had a lower rate.
- Homes with a mortgage: 1.24% of value; homes without one: 1.19%. Median bills: $6,494 and $5,892.
- Compared with the 2019–2023 survey, the effective rate fell (−0.06 pts) and the median tax changed +$117 (+1.9%). 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 1.22% ± 0.03% at 90% confidence, from a sample of the 153,693 owner-occupied homes.
Pennsylvania counties with similar rates
| County | Effective rate | Median tax | Median value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Lebanon County | 1.23% | $3,310 | $242,000 |
| Pike County | 1.24% | $3,542 | $272,600 |
| Wyoming County | 1.24% | $2,817 | $215,400 |
| Lycoming County | 1.24% | $2,649 | $202,200 |
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.