Berks County, Pennsylvania property tax
The median homeowner in Berks County, Pennsylvania pays $4,238 a year in property tax on a home worth $239,700, an effective rate of 1.77%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.77%, Berks County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. The rate is high and the housing is cheap, and those two facts are connected. The bill of $4,238 is what actually leaves a household's account, and it is the number worth comparing between places.
Inside Pennsylvania it is one of the most heavily taxed counties there is, ranking #3 of 66, against a statewide 1.35%. At the other end of the same state, Bedford County charges 0.81%. A spread that wide inside one state is normal, because school districts, not states, set most of the levy.
The median home costs 3.09 times the median household income of $77,684, close to the national 3.86. At 429,989 residents the county is large enough that its median blends several distinct housing markets.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Berks County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.77% | 1.35% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $4,238 | $3,241 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $239,700 | $240,500 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,143 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $77,684 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.09× | 3.16× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 17.66% | 18.33% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 71.05% | 69.33% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 429,989.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| York County | 1.68% | $3,947 | $235,000 |
| Lehigh County | 1.66% | $4,591 | $276,100 |
| Westmoreland County | 1.28% | $2,473 | $193,100 |
| Luzerne County | 1.53% | $2,506 | $163,800 |
| Chester County | 1.34% | $6,191 | $461,800 |
Berks County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Berks County, Pennsylvania?
The effective rate is 1.77% of home value, from a median tax bill of $4,238 against a median home value of $239,700. That is 0.79 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Berks County?
Roughly $7,080 a year at the county effective rate of 1.77%.
Is Berks County expensive compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
It ranks #3 of 66 Pennsylvania counties by effective property tax rate, and #160 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.42 points above the Pennsylvania average of 1.35%.
What does housing cost in Berks County?
The median home is worth $239,700 and median gross rent is $1,143 a month. Median household income is $77,684, which puts the home at 3.09 times annual income and rent at 17.66% of it.