Lancaster County, PA Property Tax Rate
Homeowners in Lancaster County pay an effective 1.41% of home value in property tax — about $3,940 a year on the median $279,400 home, above the Pennsylvania county median of 1.29%.
Lancaster County, PA: 1.41% effective property tax — ~$3,940/yr on the median home.
- Effective rate1.41%
- Median home value$279,400
- Median annual bill$3,940
- PA county median1.29%
- U.S. county median0.84%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2023 5-year (median taxes paid ÷ median value), compiled June 2026.
Lancaster County vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
| Effective rate | On the county's $279,400 median home | |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 1.41% | $3,940 |
| Pennsylvania county median | 1.29% | $3,604 |
| U.S. county median | 0.84% | $2,347 |
Median household income here is $83,703, putting the median tax bill at about 4.7% of income. Effective rates fold in homestead exemptions and assessment practice — they're what owners actually pay, which is why they beat statutory rates for comparison.
Highest & lowest rates in Pennsylvania
| County | Effective rate | Median bill |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware County | 1.98% | $5,988 |
| Monroe County | 1.84% | $4,438 |
| Berks County | 1.77% | $4,243 |
| York County | 1.68% | $3,948 |
| Bedford County | 0.81% | $1,400 |
| Philadelphia County | 0.84% | $1,952 |
| Huntingdon County | 0.91% | $1,641 |
| Clarion County | 0.97% | $1,475 |
Full picture: Pennsylvania property tax calculator · interactive county atlas · all county pages.
Frequently asked questions
What is the property tax rate in Lancaster County, PA?
The effective rate is about 1.41% of home value — the median homeowner pays roughly $3,940 a year on a $279,400 median home (ACS 2023 five-year data).
Is Lancaster County's property tax high?
It's above the Pennsylvania county median (1.29%) and above the U.S. county median (0.84%).
How is the effective rate calculated?
Median real-estate taxes paid ÷ median home value, from the Census American Community Survey — what owners actually pay, after exemptions, rather than the statutory millage.
Sources & methodology
Sources: Census ACS 2023 5-year tables B25103/B25077.
Effective rate = median real-estate taxes ÷ median home value (owner-occupied). Individual bills vary with exemptions, assessment timing and local levies — verify with the county assessor.