Lehigh County, Pennsylvania property tax
The median homeowner in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania pays $4,591 a year in property tax on a home worth $276,100, an effective rate of 1.66%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.66%, Lehigh 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 $4,591 median bill reflects it.
It ranks #5 of 66 Pennsylvania counties by effective rate, against a statewide 1.35%, and #227 nationally. The state runs from 1.98% in Delaware County down to 0.81% in Bedford County.
The median home costs 3.56 times the median household income of $77,493, close to the national 3.86. At 375,408 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
| Lehigh County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.66% | 1.35% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $4,591 | $3,241 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $276,100 | $240,500 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,326 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $77,493 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.56× | 3.16× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 20.53% | 18.33% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 65.21% | 69.33% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 375,408.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westmoreland County | 1.28% | $2,473 | $193,100 |
| Luzerne County | 1.53% | $2,506 | $163,800 |
| Berks County | 1.77% | $4,238 | $239,700 |
| Northampton County | 1.65% | $4,710 | $285,000 |
| York County | 1.68% | $3,947 | $235,000 |
Lehigh County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania?
The effective rate is 1.66% of home value, from a median tax bill of $4,591 against a median home value of $276,100. That is 0.68 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Lehigh County?
Roughly $6,640 a year at the county effective rate of 1.66%.
Is Lehigh County expensive compared with the rest of Pennsylvania?
It ranks #5 of 66 Pennsylvania counties by effective property tax rate, and #227 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.31 points above the Pennsylvania average of 1.35%.
What does housing cost in Lehigh County?
The median home is worth $276,100 and median gross rent is $1,326 a month. Median household income is $77,493, which puts the home at 3.56 times annual income and rent at 20.53% of it.