Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Are your taxes too high?
Want to know how your property tax bill stacks up to neighboring townships, boroughs and cities? Lehighvalleylive.com has crunched the numbers. We collected the school, county and municipal property tax rates for each of our communities and applied them to homes assessed at the average residential value for Northampton and Lehigh counties.
Rudy Miller | Lehighvalleylive.com
Highest property taxes in the Valley: Allentown
The school, county and city property taxes are $7,964.06 on a home assessed at $180,863 in Allentown. $180,863 is the average assessment for a residential property in Lehigh County.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Highest property taxes in Northampton County: Easton
The school, county and city property taxes are $7,129.24 on an Easton home assessed at $67,143, which is the average assessment for Northampton County.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Top tax bills for Lehigh County
This chart shows the school, county and municipal tax bills for the owner of a home assessed at $180,863, the average in Lehigh County.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Top tax bills for Northampton County
This chart shows the school, county and municipal tax bills for the owner of a home assessed at $67,143, the average for Northampton County.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Lowest tax bills for Lehigh County
This chart shows the school, county and municipal tax bills for the owner of a home assessed at $180,863, the average in Lehigh County.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Lowest tax bills in Northampton County
This chart shows the school, county and municipal tax bills for the owner of a home assessed at $67,143, the average for Northampton County.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Mid-range tax rates for Northampton County
This chart shows the school, county and municipal tax bills for the owner of a home assessed at $67,143, the average for Northampton County.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Lowest property taxes in the Valley: Moore Township
The school, county and city property taxes are $3,255.76 in Moore Township on a home assessed at $67,143, which is the average assessment for the county. But residents don’t have services available in more urban communities.
Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, left, and Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. (Lehighvalleylive.com file photos)
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Why are city taxes so high?
Cities such as Allentown and Easton have large police and fire departments and more services and amenities than you’ll find in rural communities. Cities are also grappling with escalating retiree pension costs and must adhere to state rules in the ways they address the costs.
Louise Moore Park in Lower Nazareth Township, Northampton County. (Lehighvalleylive.com file photo)
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Why is the average assessment in Northampton County so much lower than Lehigh County?
Lehigh County assessed all of its properties in 2012, so its average residential home value of $180,863 reflects real estate prices in 2012. Northampton County last assessed its properties in 1995, so its average residential value of $67,143 reflects 1995 real estate prices. Northampton County tax rates are much higher than those in Lehigh County to make up this difference in assessment values.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
Why does Allentown have three different tax rates?
In Allentown, most families send their children to the Allentown School District. However, some send their children to the Parkland School District and others send them to the Salisbury Township School District. Your tax rate is based on your school district sending area. The same is true of Lower Mount Bethel Township in Northampton County, where most children go to Bangor Area schools but some go to Easton Area schools.
Rudy Miller | lehighvalleylive.com
How do I calculate my tax bill?
Each school district, township, borough, city and county sets a millage rate by which you can calculate your tax bill. Northampton and Lehigh counties list school and municipal millage rates online. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of a home's assessed value. So a one-mill tax on a $100,000 home would generate a $100 tax bill.
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