Lancaster County
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Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
50 North Duke Street
Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17602
Tel: 717-299-8275
County Website: Lancaster county
Assessor Website: Lancaster county assessor
Lancaster County Property Assessment Adjustment Instructions
- Visit https://co.lancaster.pa.us/154/Property-Assessment for General Information
- Determine the fair market value for your property.
- Determine the prevailing assessment level in your district.
- Obtain the assessed valuation of your property.
- Discuss the assessment with your assessor.
- Determine the basis for your formal complaint.
- File a written complaint with your Board of Review during the appropriate time period.
- Present evidence of unfair assessment to the Board of Review at the hearing.
- Appeal the Board of Review’s decision to the State Property Tax Appeal Board (in writing) in the event of an unsatisfactory decision by the Board of Review.
URLs
Appeals may be undertaken any year when filed on or before August 1, with the result effective beginning with the subsequent tax year. In addition, an appeal may be filed within 40 days of any assessment change notice issued by this office after a change has occurred to a property effectively changing its market value.
Here's how to lower your property taxes in Lancaster county
Contact the county assessor
Contact the Lancaster county tax assessor's office and ask for a review of the property's value. Visit the Lancaster county assessor's website to find the phone number to call. If the assessor determines that your property is worth less than the value on which your taxes are based, your property taxes may be lowered.
Tax exemptions
Start by finding what your tax bill is. Typically you will find your tax bill information on your mortgage statement. Look for tax exemptions or credits that you may be eligible for. Many states and localities offer exemptions or credits for homeowners who meet certain criteria, information such as being over a certain age or having a low income. Lancaster county may have these types of exemptions available for homeowners. These exemptions and credits can lower the property tax you owe.
Appeal tax assessment
Appeal the property tax assessment. If you believe that your property's value has been overestimated, you can typically appeal the assessment to your Lancaster county tax assessor's office. This is part of the services that your assessor's office provides. You will need to provide evidence to support your claim, such as a recent appraisal or sales data for comparable properties and homes in your area. Usually, you will meet with the Board of Equalization. If your appeal is successful, your property taxes may be lowered.
Challenge the tax rate
Consider challenging the tax rate. In some cases, the amount of property taxes you owe is not based on the value of your property, but on the tax rate set by your local government. If you believe that the tax rate is too high, you can contact your Lancaster county government and ask them to consider reducing it.
Property Tax Rules
Stay up-to-date on your property's value and property tax rules. For the purpose of lowering your Lancaster county property tax, property value is the assessed property value and not the market property value. Assessed property value is used for taxation purposes while market property value is what a buyer and seller would likely agree on. Typically the assessed value is lower than the market value. Your property's value can change over time due to a variety of factors, such as changes in the local real estate market or improvements you make to your property. To ensure that your property taxes are accurate and fair, it is important to stay informed about your property's value and contact Lancaster county local tax assessor's office if you believe there has been a significant change.
Keep in mind that property tax laws and regulations can vary, so it is important to consult with your Lancaster county Pennsylvania tax assessor's office for specific information about how to reduce your property taxes.
About Lancaster County
Homes in Lancaster county have a median home value of $218,590.
Lancaster county home values are ranked 7 out of 67 counties in the state of Pennsylvania for median home price. The average median home value in Pennsylvania is $152,124. Cameron county has the lowest median price at $77,620. Chester county has the highest median price at $369,273.
Compared to the rest of the United States, Lancaster county homes have a median home value that is above the national median value of $130,626 by ~67%.
The median household income in Lancaster county is $69,588.
Compared to the state of Pennsylvania and the United States, Lancaster county's median household income is higher than the state of Pennsylvania's average median household income of $58,553 and the United States average median household income of $54,172.
Lancaster county's population has grown from 422,822 in 1990 to 552,984 in 2020, an increase of 31% over that time frame.
For comparison, the state of Pennsylvania's population has grown from 11,882,842 in 1990 to 13,002,700 in 2020, an increase of 9.4% over that time frame.
In the United States, the population has grown from 248,790,925 in 1990 to 331,449,281 in 2020, an increase of 33% over that time frame.
Lancaster county's population change from 1990 to 2020 is greater than the population change for Pennsylvania and less than the population change for United States.
Lancaster County Pennsylvania Cities
Adamstown, Akron, Bainbridge, Bird In Hand, Brownstown, Brunnerville, Columbia, Conestoga, Denver, Drumore, East Earl, East Petersburg, Elizabethtown, Ephrata, Florin, Gap, Gordonville, Holtwood, Kinzers, Kirkwood, Lancaster, Leola, Manheim, Marietta, Millersville, Mountville, Narvon, Neffsville, New Holland, New Providence, Ninepoints, Paradise, Peach Bottom, Pequea, Quarryville, Reinholds, Rheems, Rohrerstown, Ronks, Salunga, Smoketown, Stevens, Strasburg, Terre Hill, Washington Boro, Willow Street
Lancaster County Pennsylvania Zipcodes
17022 / 17501 / 17502 / 17505 / 17508 / 17509 / 17512 / 17516 / 17517 / 17518 / 17519 / 17520 / 17522 / 17527 / 17529 / 17532 / 17535 / 17536 / 17538 / 17540 / 17543 / 17545 / 17547 / 17551 / 17552 / 17554 / 17555 / 17557 / 17560 / 17562 / 17563 / 17565 / 17566 / 17569 / 17570 / 17572 / 17576 / 17578 / 17579 / 17581 / 17582 / 17584 / 17601 / 17602 / 17603 / 19501 /
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