Pennsylvania: Study Shows What the Average Person Pays for Property Taxes

If you're looking to buy a home or are already a home owner, you may be curious about how much property taxes cost in your state in comparison to other states. Each part of the U.S. has its own property tax rate, and it varies quite a bit from state to state. When purchasing a home, it's crucial to know how much you'll be paying in those taxes, because that can add a large chunk of responsibility to a monthly bill. So, what's the average person pay for these taxes in the state?

So, what are property taxes? According to City National Bank, they're a type of ad valorem tax. "This means it's based on a percentage of your property's assessed value, not what you originally paid or how much you owe on your mortgage," they state. In the United States, these are "levied by cities, towns and counties to generate revenue, often to support local services and infrastructure."

Visual Capitalist has a new feature out on April 1 summarizing the median annual property taxes by state. According to their research, the U.S. national median annual property tax bill is $2,937, and the "gap between the highest- and lowest-bill states stretches into the thousands of dollars."

They have a map displaying the median annual amount for owner-occupied homes by state utilizing information from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey from the 2024 one-year estimates, which is the most recent information available as of March 2026.

So, what's the most expensive area in the country to own a home? It's the Northeast. "Overall, seven of the top 10 states are in the Northeast," the study says, "underscoring how heavily many local governments in the region rely on property taxes to fund schools and municipal services."

As for this state, the median annual property tax bill is $3,214, ranking No. 19 among all states.