Property Tax in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Property Tax in Allegheny County

A calculator and field guide for Pittsburgh-area homeowners — and for anyone considering a move to Allegheny County — including Pennsylvania's millage-per-$1,000-AV system, the Common Level Ratio that bridges stale assessments to market value, the per-school-district Homestead Exclusion (Act 1), and the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program for income-qualified seniors.

Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh and 1251k Pennsylvanians, operates within PA's complex multi-layered property tax system. Each county sets its own predetermined assessment ratio, the State Tax Equalization Board issues an annual Common Level Ratio (CLR) to bridge stale assessments to market value, and total tax combines three independent authorities: county + municipality + school district. School district millage typically dominates the bill — often 70%+ of the total.

How the bill is built

Pennsylvania's calculation has three steps. Step 1: Assessed Value. Each county uses its own ratio — some assess at 100% of current market value (Lancaster, Allegheny since 2012), others at lower stated ratios (Bucks at ~3% effective ratio, Philadelphia at 100%). Step 2: Common Level Ratio (CLR). The State Tax Equalization Board calculates an annual CLR to bridge stated AV to current market value. This matters most for stale-assessment counties (Bucks, Chester, Allegheny, Lehigh) where the CLR can be the basis for tax appeal valuation. Step 3: Tax. Multiply AV by the combined millage (county + municipality + school district) and divide by 1,000. For Pittsburgh, total millage is approximately 22.74 mills.

School district millage is the largest portion of the bill. Pennsylvania has 501 independent school districts, each setting their own millage and Homestead Exclusion. Within Allegheny County, school district choice can change a homeowner's annual tax bill by $1,500-$5,000+ on similar-priced homes — making "what school district is this in?" the single most important question for PA relocation buyers.

Homestead Exclusion (Act 1, 2006) is state-funded. Each school district allocates its slot of the state Property Tax Reduction Allocation to homestead-qualified properties — typical reduction is $300-$700 per year. Apply once with the Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments (Form available March 1; deadline March 1 of the following year for that year's bill).

Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) for seniors and disabled. PA's PTRR program provides up to $1,000 base rebate for income-qualified homeowners 65+ or disabled (income limit raised to $46,520 in 2024). Residents of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or Scranton receive supplemental rebates of $500-$1,500. PA also exempts retirement income (including Social Security) from state income tax, which substantially boosts the effective retiree benefit. File Form PA-1000 with PA Department of Revenue.

Allegheny County rate breakdown (mills per $1,000 of assessed value × Common Level Ratio, Pittsburgh district)

Taxing entity	Rate
Allegheny County (millage per $1,000)	4.7300
City of Pittsburgh	8.0600
Pittsburgh Public Schools	9.9500
Combined total	22.7400

Data record updated April 26, 2026. This is an editorial update date, not a tax year or a guarantee that every figure has been independently verified.

Sources and scope: Check rates and parcel details with Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments. Figures may refer to different source years; a county-seat rate does not apply to every address. How we use data and estimates.

Note: Allegheny County is anchored by Pittsburgh and contains 130 separate municipalities — one of the most fragmented county-government structures in the United States. The county's last full property reassessment was in 2012, and a 2022 court ruling forced a temporary reduction in the effective ratio used for appeals (the "Common Level Ratio" was lowered from 81.1% to 63.6% in 2022, then 54.5% in 2024) — meaning property tax appeals based on stale 2012 assessments have been unusually successful for the past several years.

Note: Allegheny's effective tax rate of approximately 2.00% is the highest of any Pennsylvania county — driven by the combination of relatively low median home values ($168,400) and substantial school and municipal millage. Within Allegheny, the rate spread is dramatic: Pittsburgh proper carries the highest combined millage (~22 mills total), while suburban Mt. Lebanon, Bethel Park, and Upper St. Clair operate independent school districts with substantially different rates.

Note: The "Pittsburgh Renaissance" of the 1990s-2000s transformed the city from a declining steel town into a tech-and-medicine hub anchored by Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, and UPMC (the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the largest non-government employer in Pennsylvania). UPMC's tax-exempt status as a nonprofit hospital system has been a perennial Pittsburgh political issue — UPMC properties are exempt from property tax but UPMC voluntarily makes "PILOT" payments to the city.

Homestead, exemptions, and senior programs for 2026

Pennsylvania's homeowner tax relief works through three primary mechanisms: (1) the per-school-district Homestead Exclusion, (2) the income-tested Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) for seniors and disabled, and (3) the Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption for 100% service-connected disabled veterans.

Homestead Exclusion (Act 1, 2006)

Pennsylvania's Homestead Exclusion is funded by the state's gaming revenue and allocated to school districts via the Property Tax Reduction Allocation. Each school district then applies the allocation as a reduction in assessed value for owner-occupied homes. Typical reductions in Allegheny County range from $300-$700 per year. Apply once with the Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments; the application form becomes available March 1 of each year, with a March 1 deadline of the following year for that year's bill. Once granted, the exclusion auto-renews.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR)

Pennsylvania's PTRR is one of the more generous senior property tax programs in the country. Eligible homeowners (65+ or disabled with income under $46,520) receive a base rebate of up to $1,000. Residents of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Scranton receive an additional $500-$1,500 supplemental rebate. The program is funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery and is filed annually with the PA Department of Revenue (Form PA-1000). The June 30 application deadline applies to the following year's rebate.

Pennsylvania also exempts retirement income (including Social Security) from state income tax — boosting the effective retiree benefit substantially. Combined with PTRR, PA retirees can have very low total state-tax burden despite the moderate-to-high property tax rates.

Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption

Pennsylvania veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating qualify for full property tax exemption — but the exemption is income-tested. Income limit is approximately $108,046 in 2025 (annual cost-of-living adjustment). File Form MV-77L with the PA Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The State Veterans Commission reviews each application; approval can take several months. Surviving spouses retain the exemption under specific conditions.

Appealing your assessment

Pennsylvania's appeal deadline is typically August 1 in most counties for the following tax year (varies — check with the Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments). The county Board of Assessment Appeals reviews based on comparable sales evidence, with the Common Level Ratio applied to convert market value comparisons to assessed value comparisons. PA's stale-assessment counties (Bucks last reassessed 1972, Chester 1996, Allegheny 2012) have particularly favorable appeal dynamics — recent buyers can often reduce their assessment substantially by demonstrating their purchase price is below the indicated assessed value × CLR.

Cities and towns in Allegheny County

This guide lists 8 selected communities in or associated with Allegheny County. It is not a complete municipal directory. Local taxing districts can differ between communities and individual addresses.

Data: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census. Populations rounded. Cities marked as "split" straddle a county border — the portion inside Allegheny County is subject to Allegheny County's tax rolls, while the portion outside is subject to the adjacent county's.

City or town	Type	Population (2020)
Pittsburgh County seat	city	302,971
Penn Hills	township	41,059
Mt. Lebanon	township	33,119
Bethel Park	borough	32,313
Monroeville	borough	28,005
Plum	borough	27,259
West Mifflin	borough	19,637
McKeesport	city	17,727

About city-level property tax rates: The rate breakdown and calculator on this page use a representative district around Pittsburgh. Other cities in Allegheny County may pay into different school districts, city rates, and special districts — so their combined rates can differ, sometimes substantially. Always verify the specific rates for your address with the Allegheny County Office of Property Assessments before relying on any estimate.

Frequently asked questions

When are Allegheny County property taxes due?

Pennsylvania has different bill cycles for the three taxing authorities. County and municipal taxes are billed in spring (typically March-April due) with discount available if paid early. School district taxes are billed in summer (typically July-September due). Each authority has its own discount/face/penalty schedule — typically a 2% discount for early payment, then face value, then 10% penalty for late payment.

Why is the school district millage so much higher than the county millage?

Pennsylvania has 501 independent school districts that fund roughly 50-60% of school operating costs through property tax (the remainder comes from state aid and federal funds). Combined with very modest county-level millage (typically 4-8 mills), the school portion ends up dominating the total bill. Within Allegheny County, school district choice can change a homeowner's annual tax bill by $1,500-$5,000+ on similar-priced homes.

What is the Common Level Ratio (CLR)?

PA's CLR is an annual State Tax Equalization Board calculation that bridges stated assessed values to current market value. In stale-assessment counties (Bucks last reassessed 1972, Chester 1996, Allegheny 2012, Lehigh 1991), the CLR adjusts upward to compensate for the gap. The CLR matters most for tax appeals — your assessment can be challenged if it produces an effective rate higher than the county's CLR-adjusted level.

How do I qualify for PTRR (Property Tax/Rent Rebate)?

You must be 65+ or disabled, with household income under approximately $46,520 (2024). Residents of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or Scranton qualify for additional supplemental rebates. File Form PA-1000 with the PA Department of Revenue by June 30 for the following year's rebate. Pennsylvania also exempts retirement income from state income tax — making PA one of the more retiree-friendly states overall.

About Allegheny County

Beyond the property tax — a few things you might not know about the place.

Weird fact

Pittsburgh has 446 bridges — more bridges than any other city in the world (more than Venice, more than Hamburg). The city sits at the confluence of three rivers (the Allegheny, the Monongahela, and the Ohio), and its hilly topography requires bridges to connect virtually every neighborhood. The Roberto Clemente Bridge, the Andy Warhol Bridge, and the Rachel Carson Bridge — known as the "Three Sisters" — are the only set of nearly identical self-anchored suspension bridges in the world.

Hometown hero

Andrew Carnegie

The Scottish-American industrialist (1835-1919) — founder of the Carnegie Steel Company and one of the wealthiest Americans in history — built his fortune in Pittsburgh and donated approximately $350 million ($65 billion in 2025 dollars) to philanthropic causes. The Carnegie Mellon University, the Carnegie Library system (which Carnegie funded across 1,689 communities worldwide), and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History remain among the most important institutional legacies in American philanthropy.

Biggest annual event

Steelers / Penguins / Pirates seasons

Allegheny County hosts three major-league professional sports franchises: the Pittsburgh Steelers (Acrisure Stadium, formerly Heinz Field), the Pittsburgh Penguins (PPG Paints Arena), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (PNC Park). Combined annual attendance across the three franchises typically exceeds 5 million. Pittsburgh is one of only 13 US cities to host teams in all three of MLB, NFL, and NHL.

Property Tax in Allegheny County