Chester County, Pennsylvania property tax
The median homeowner in Chester County, Pennsylvania pays $6,191 a year in property tax on a home worth $461,800, an effective rate of 1.34%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.34%, Chester County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Both the rate and the house are above national. That is the expensive combination, and the $6,191 median bill reflects it.
It ranks #29 of 66 Pennsylvania counties by effective rate, against a statewide 1.35%, and #534 nationally. The state runs from 1.98% in Delaware County down to 0.81% in Bedford County.
The median home costs 3.75 times the median household income of $123,041, close to the national 3.86. Incomes here run above the national median, which is what keeps that ratio ordinary despite the house prices. At 540,896 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
| Chester County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.34% | 1.35% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $6,191 | $3,241 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $461,800 | $240,500 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,691 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $123,041 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.75× | 3.16× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 16.49% | 18.33% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 74.95% | 69.33% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 540,896.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 1.41% | $3,941 | $279,400 |
| Delaware County | 1.98% | $6,001 | $302,400 |
| York County | 1.68% | $3,947 | $235,000 |
| Bucks County | 1.38% | $5,833 | $421,700 |
| Berks County | 1.77% | $4,238 | $239,700 |
Chester County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Chester County, Pennsylvania?
The effective rate is 1.34% of home value, from a median tax bill of $6,191 against a median home value of $461,800. That is 0.36 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Chester County?
Roughly $5,360 a year at the county effective rate of 1.34%.
Is Chester County expensive compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
It ranks #29 of 66 Pennsylvania counties by effective property tax rate, and #534 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.01 points below the Pennsylvania average of 1.35%.
What does housing cost in Chester County?
The median home is worth $461,800 and median gross rent is $1,691 a month. Median household income is $123,041, which puts the home at 3.75 times annual income and rent at 16.49% of it.