How Property Taxes Are Calculated

Chester County uses a millage rate system. One mill equals $1 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value. Your actual tax bill is calculated as:

Annual Tax = Assessed Value x Combined Millage Rate / 1,000

Important nuance: Assessed value in Chester County is not the same as market value. Chester County has not conducted a countywide reassessment in many years, which means assessed values can be substantially lower than market values — often 30%–40% of market value on older sales. However, assessed values are updated on transfers (sales), meaning a recently sold property may have a higher assessed value than a neighboring property that has not changed hands in 20 years.

The Three Layers of Chester County Property Tax

• County tax: Chester County's 2026 millage rate is 5.164 mills, unchanged from 2025. This rate is the same for every property in the county.

• Municipal tax: Each township and borough sets its own millage rate independently. These vary from under 1 mill in some townships to several mills in others.

• School district tax: The largest single component of the tax bill. School district millage rates across Chester County range from about 24 to 46 mills for 2026–27, depending on the district.

Combined Rate Examples in Chester County

To illustrate the range of combined effective rates in Chester County:

• West Goshen Township (West Chester Area School District): Combined millage 31.32 mills for 2026

• Kennett Township (Kennett Consolidated School District): Combined millage 45.07 mills for 2026

• Westtown Township (West Chester Area School District): Township millage 3.92 mills (plus county and school district)

• West Chester Area School District school tax rate for 2026–27: 24.16 mills, the lowest in Chester County

The practical implication: two homes with the same assessed value can carry very different annual tax bills depending on their township and school district. A home assessed at $250,000 in West Goshen Township (31.32 combined mills for 2026) owes about $7,830 a year. The same assessment in Kennett Township (45.07 mills) owes about $11,267. Assessed values in Chester County are well below today's sale prices, so look up your own on your tax bill or the County's ChescoViews site. That $3,437 difference is about $286/month meaningful in an affordability calculation.

2026–27 School District Millage Rates in Chester County

The school district rate is the largest part of most Chester County tax bills. Here are the 2026–27 rates for all 14 districts, from lowest to highest, with the 2025–26 rate in parentheses. Add the county rate (5.164 mills) and your township or borough rate to get the full total.

• West Chester Area: 24.1573 mills (2025–26: 23.3845)

• Great Valley: 26.1000 mills (2025–26: 25.2200)

• Tredyffrin-Easttown: 31.1364 mills (2025–26: 29.6567)

• Downingtown Area: 33.0268 mills (2025–26: 31.9100)

• Twin Valley: 33.0760 mills (2025–26: 32.4943)

• Unionville-Chadds Ford: 34.9500 mills (2025–26: 33.9100)

• Spring-Ford Area: 35.3820 mills (2025–26: 34.1855)

• Kennett Consolidated: 36.2036 mills (2025–26: 34.9942)

• Phoenixville Area: 36.3071 mills (2025–26: 35.0794)

• Avon Grove: 37.2600 mills (2025–26: 36.0000)

• Owen J. Roberts: 37.4507 mills (2025–26: 36.3599)

• Oxford Area: 40.2457 mills (2025–26: 38.4391)

• Octorara Area: 44.6900 mills (2025–26: 43.4600)

• Coatesville Area: 45.9170 mills (2025–26: 44.3640)

Source: County of Chester Tax Rates – 2026 (revised June 24, 2026). Rates shown are for the Chester County portion of each district. Confirm current rates with each taxing body.

Homestead Exemption

Pennsylvania's Homestead Property Tax Exclusion allows school districts to reduce the assessed value of primary residences for tax purposes, providing modest relief. This must be applied for through the Chester County Assessment Office and is only available for your primary residence.

Property Tax Due Dates

Property taxes in Pennsylvania are billed by separate entities on different schedules. County taxes are due by July 31 (with a 2% discount if paid early) and have a final deadline of October 31. School district taxes are typically billed in July for the academic year. Municipal taxes vary. Your lender's escrow account will collect 1/12 of the estimated annual taxes each month and pay the bills on your behalf.