Lancaster County property owners are opening mailboxes this week to find reassessment notices reflecting dramatic increases in their property values — with some communities seeing assessments nearly double under the county's first major reassessment in years.
Notices are being mailed Monday, June 15, 2026, for the 2027 Final Reassessment, which applies to taxable parcels countywide.
Countywide numbers
The average single-family home in Lancaster County is currently assessed at $202,310, with a median assessment of $182,300. Across the county, the average percent change per parcel is 89.94%, while the median change lands at 78.52% — meaning most homeowners will see their assessed value nearly double on paper.
Columbia Borough hit hardest
Among all municipalities listed in the reassessment statistics, Columbia Borough posted the highest average increase in the county at 140.74% — more than 50 percentage points above the countywide average. That means a Columbia Borough property previously assessed at $150,000 could now carry an assessed value of roughly $361,000.
Other municipalities saw significant but comparatively lower increases:
Clay Township: 86.99%
West Cocalico Township: 84.17%
Akron Boro: 80.09%
Christiana Boro: 66.66%
Colerain Township: 62.47% — the lowest among districts listed
What this means for your tax bill — and what it doesn't
County officials are emphasizing a critical point that often gets lost in reassessment headlines: higher assessments do not automatically mean higher tax bills.
The purpose of a reassessment, according to county documentation, is to equalize all property values to 100% of current fair market value — ensuring that similar properties are taxed fairly relative to one another. Local taxing bodies, including school districts and municipalities, are expected to adjust their millage rates in response to the new values.
"Reassessments are NOT done to increase property taxes," the county states plainly in its
Frequently asked questions
A useful rule of thumb offered by the county: Could you sell your property for your new assessed value in today's real estate market? If the answer is yes, the new value may be accurate.
How to check your assessment — and how to appeal
Property owners who have not received a notice, or want to review their new value, can visit LancasterPA-reval.Devnetwedge.com and search by parcel number, address, or name.
Every property owner has the right to appeal their assessed value through the Board of Assessment Appeals. The board evaluates appeals based on the fair market value of the property. Property owners considering an appeal should review their new assessed value carefully before filing.
Questions about incorrect mailing addresses can be directed to PAQuestions@LancasterCountyPA.gov.
Additional district-by-district reassessment data is available through the Lancaster County Assessment Office.
No comments:
Post a Comment