Delaware County, Pennsylvania property tax
The median homeowner in Delaware County, Pennsylvania pays $6,001 a year in property tax on a home worth $302,400, an effective rate of 1.98%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.98%, Delaware County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Unusually, the housing is not cheap either. A rate above the national average on a home worth $302,400 produces a bill of $6,001, and both halves of that are working against the owner.
Inside Pennsylvania it is one of the most heavily taxed counties there is, ranking #1 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 3.41 times the median household income of $88,576, 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 576,195 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
| Delaware County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.98% | 1.35% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $6,001 | $3,241 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $302,400 | $240,500 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,315 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $88,576 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.41× | 3.16× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 17.82% | 18.33% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 69.64% | 69.33% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 576,195.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County | 1.41% | $3,941 | $279,400 |
| Chester County | 1.34% | $6,191 | $461,800 |
| Bucks County | 1.38% | $5,833 | $421,700 |
| York County | 1.68% | $3,947 | $235,000 |
| Berks County | 1.77% | $4,238 | $239,700 |
Delaware County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Delaware County, Pennsylvania?
The effective rate is 1.98% of home value, from a median tax bill of $6,001 against a median home value of $302,400. That is 1 point above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Delaware County?
Roughly $7,920 a year at the county effective rate of 1.98%.
Is Delaware County expensive compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
It ranks #1 of 66 Pennsylvania counties by effective property tax rate, and #102 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.63 points above the Pennsylvania average of 1.35%.
What does housing cost in Delaware County?
The median home is worth $302,400 and median gross rent is $1,315 a month. Median household income is $88,576, which puts the home at 3.41 times annual income and rent at 17.82% of it.