NookLocal data
The school district value matrix: quality vs. what you’ll actually pay
Rankings sites grade schools but ignore taxes. County millage sheets list taxes in numbers you can’t compare across county lines. This table joins the two for every district serving Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh, and Berks counties: official state academic results next to the true tax rate — millage converted through each county’s Common Level Ratio into a simple percentage of your purchase price.
Academics: PA Department of Education, 2025PSSA & Keystone district files and SY 2024-25 cohort graduation rates. Taxes: 2026 county/municipal millage, 2025-26 school millage, STEB 2024 Common Level Ratios. Compiled 2026-06-11. School budgets and the new CLR land in July — this page re-ranks then.
Value standouts: above-median schools, below-median taxes
23 of 62scored districts clear the footprint’s median Academic Index (62.8) at a below-median total tax rate (1.50% of home value). The first six, by value ratio:
New Hope-Solebury
81.1Bucks County
- Typical total tax
- 1.00% / yr
- On a $450,000 home
- $4,483/yr
- Median asking
- $2,822,500
Browse: New Hope
Palisades
68.9Bucks County
- Typical total tax
- 0.93% / yr
- On a $450,000 home
- $4,174/yr
- Median asking
- $1,562,500
Wissahickon
77.6Montgomery County
- Typical total tax
- 1.08% / yr
- On a $450,000 home
- $4,871/yr
- Median asking
- $999,999
Browse: Ambler, Lower Gwynedd
Colonial
79.0Montgomery County
- Typical total tax
- 1.11% / yr
- On a $450,000 home
- $5,017/yr
- Median asking
- $599,000
Browse: Conshohocken
Council Rock
77.1Bucks County
- Typical total tax
- 1.12% / yr
- On a $450,000 home
- $5,054/yr
- Median asking
- $1,149,900
Browse: Newtown
Central Bucks
77.5Bucks County
- Typical total tax
- 1.16% / yr
- On a $450,000 home
- $5,222/yr
- Median asking
- $774,950
Browse: Buckingham, Chalfont, Doylestown
All 63 districts
| District | PSSA / Keystone / Grad | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower MerionValue Montgomery County | 86.9 | 82% / 87% / 98% | 1.49% 1.42–1.57% across 2 munis | $4,882/yr | $780,000 59 active | 58.3 |
New Hope-SoleburyValue Bucks County | 81.1 | 72% / 82% / 97% | 1.00% 0.96–1.03% across 2 munis | $3,178/yr | $2,822,500 38 active | 81.1 |
ColonialValue Montgomery County | 79.0 | 69% / 80% / 97% | 1.11% 1.07–1.14% across 3 munis | $3,667/yr | $599,000 47 active | 71.2 |
WissahickonValue Montgomery County | 77.6 | 72% / 74% / 96% | 1.08% 1.00–1.26% across 3 munis | $3,501/yr | $999,999 43 active | 71.9 |
Central BucksValue Bucks County | 77.5 | 69% / 77% / 96% | 1.16% 1.06–1.29% across 9 munis | $3,865/yr | $774,950 182 active | 66.8 |
Council RockValue Bucks County | 77.1 | 68% / 76% / 98% | 1.12% 1.06–1.23% across 5 munis | $3,821/yr | $1,149,900 85 active | 68.8 |
Upper DublinPremium Montgomery County | 76.5 | 75% / 68% / 98% | 1.63% | $5,502/yr | $710,000 24 active | 46.9 |
Lower Moreland TownshipPremium Montgomery County | 75.9 | 73% / 68% / 98% | 1.74% | $6,058/yr | — | 43.6 |
Spring-Ford AreaValue Montgomery County | 75.9 | 67% / 75% / 96% | 1.34% 1.32–1.54% across 3 munis | $4,732/yr | $557,450 50 active | 56.6 |
Southern LehighValue Lehigh County | 74.7 | 70% / 68% / 97% | 1.14% 1.11–1.33% across 3 munis | $3,938/yr | $817,495 18 active | 65.5 |
Perkiomen ValleyValue Montgomery County | 74.0 | 65% / 73% / 94% | 1.46% 1.40–1.64% across 6 munis | $5,357/yr | $949,900 42 active | 50.7 |
Springfield TownshipPremium Montgomery County | 73.2 | 63% / 72% / 96% | 1.59% | $5,628/yr | $750,000 19 active | 46.0 |
ParklandValue Lehigh County | 73.1 | 68% / 67% / 96% | 1.13% 1.10–1.25% across 3 munis | $3,979/yr | $778,654 30 active | 64.7 |
MethactonValue Montgomery County | 71.5 | 63% / 68% / 95% | 1.35% 1.28–1.41% across 2 munis | $4,945/yr | $865,000 18 active | 53.0 |
Souderton AreaValue Montgomery County | 69.8 | 57% / 70% / 95% | 1.38% 1.33–1.58% across 6 munis | $4,959/yr | $479,900 23 active | 50.6 |
Kutztown AreaValue Berks County | 69.6 | 55% / 71% / 97% | 1.48% 1.44–1.52% across 6 munis | $4,987/yr | $598,000 17 active | 47.0 |
North PennValue Montgomery County · also Bucks County | 69.1 | 60% / 65% / 95% | 1.33% 1.26–1.44% across 7 munis | $4,458/yr | $488,000 105 active | 52.0 |
East PennValue Lehigh County | 69.1 | 62% / 63% / 96% | 1.48% 1.30–1.79% across 5 munis | $4,855/yr | $399,900 13 active | 46.7 |
PalisadesValue Bucks County | 68.9 | 60% / 67% / 91% | 0.93% 0.91–0.99% across 6 munis | $3,175/yr | $1,562,500 14 active | 74.1 |
Northwestern LehighValue Lehigh County | 68.2 | 56% / 66% / 97% | 1.28% 1.22–1.32% across 4 munis | $4,625/yr | $559,900 1 active | 53.3 |
Hatboro-HorshamPremium Montgomery County | 67.7 | 54% / 66% / 99% | 1.50% 1.34–1.66% across 2 munis | $4,841/yr | $755,716 48 active | 45.1 |
Upper PerkiomenValue Montgomery County · also Berks County | 67.5 | 56% / 66% / 93% | 1.19% 1.11–1.37% across 6 munis | $3,988/yr | $715,000 2 active | 56.7 |
PennsburyValue Bucks County | 67.3 | 58% / 63% / 96% | 1.48% 1.43–1.57% across 4 munis | $5,380/yr | $837,450 36 active | 45.5 |
AbingtonPremium Montgomery County | 67.1 | 59% / 61% / 97% | 1.64% 1.56–1.73% across 2 munis | $5,336/yr | $474,950 60 active | 40.9 |
Boyertown AreaPremium Berks County · also Montgomery County | 66.7 | 54% / 65% / 96% | 1.62% 1.43–1.81% across 7 munis | $5,056/yr | $229,450 4 active | 41.2 |
Wyomissing AreaPremium Berks County | 66.3 | 55% / 62% / 97% | 1.78% 1.70–1.86% across 2 munis | $5,470/yr | $699,900 11 active | 37.2 |
PennridgeValue Bucks County | 66.1 | 56% / 63% / 93% | 1.06% 1.04–1.17% across 8 munis | $3,697/yr | $659,995 82 active | 62.4 |
Twin ValleyValue Berks County | 64.9 | 54% / 62% / 93% | 1.47% 1.46–1.98% across 3 munis | $4,655/yr | $527,250 2 active | 44.1 |
Oley ValleyValue Berks County | 63.7 | 52% / 61% / 93% | 1.48% 1.47–1.57% across 4 munis | $4,970/yr | $462,450 12 active | 43.0 |
JenkintownPremium Montgomery County | 63.5 | 60% / 54% / 90% | 2.15% | $7,280/yr | $172,000 20 active | 29.5 |
Tulpehocken AreaValue Berks County | 62.9 | 45% / 66% / 92% | 1.26% 1.20–1.39% across 5 munis | $3,983/yr | — | 49.9 |
Exeter TownshipHigh tax Berks County | 62.6 | 47% / 61% / 98% | 1.78% 1.71–1.84% across 2 munis | $5,723/yr | $389,000 31 active | 35.2 |
Daniel Boone AreaHigh tax Berks County | 62.1 | 49% / 58% / 96% | 1.61% 1.59–1.75% across 3 munis | $5,297/yr | $475,000 11 active | 38.6 |
WilsonHigh tax Berks County | 62.1 | 51% / 59% / 91% | 1.59% 1.53–1.67% across 4 munis | $4,918/yr | $567,500 21 active | 39.1 |
Upper Moreland TownshipHigh tax Montgomery County | 61.7 | 50% / 56% / 96% | 1.63% | $5,470/yr | $469,900 12 active | 37.9 |
Upper Merion AreaLow tax Montgomery County | 61.2 | 53% / 54% / 92% | 1.09% 0.96–1.33% across 3 munis | $3,323/yr | $520,000 60 active | 56.1 |
NeshaminyLow tax Bucks County | 61.0 | 52% / 53% / 95% | 1.40% 1.37–1.43% across 6 munis | $5,016/yr | $849,900 47 active | 43.6 |
CentennialLow tax Bucks County | 59.3 | 49% / 54% / 91% | 1.33% 1.28–1.35% across 3 munis | $4,553/yr | $425,000 33 active | 44.6 |
Conrad Weiser AreaHigh tax Berks County | 58.9 | 45% / 56% / 94% | 1.71% 1.58–1.76% across 7 munis | $5,548/yr | $325,000 5 active | 34.4 |
Fleetwood AreaHigh tax Berks County | 58.0 | 42% / 55% / 96% | 1.65% 1.65–1.79% across 3 munis | $5,631/yr | $359,900 15 active | 35.2 |
Brandywine Heights AreaHigh tax Berks County | 57.8 | 52% / 46% / 94% | 1.63% 1.62–1.84% across 4 munis | $5,719/yr | $469,900 4 active | 35.5 |
PottsgroveHigh tax Montgomery County | 56.9 | 43% / 54% / 91% | 1.62% 1.61–1.70% across 3 munis | $5,780/yr | — | 35.1 |
Salisbury TownshipHigh tax Lehigh County | 56.6 | 47% / 51% / 87% | 1.65% | $5,523/yr | $487,500 12 active | 34.3 |
Quakertown CommunityLow tax Bucks County | 56.4 | 41% / 54% / 92% | 1.23% 1.21–1.28% across 6 munis | $4,632/yr | $265,000 39 active | 45.9 |
Whitehall-CoplayHigh tax Lehigh County | 56.3 | 43% / 51% / 94% | 1.66% 1.54–1.78% across 2 munis | $5,043/yr | — | 33.9 |
Cheltenham TownshipHigh tax Montgomery County | 56.2 | 48% / 48% / 90% | 2.20% | $7,581/yr | $499,500 32 active | 25.5 |
Schuylkill ValleyLow tax Berks County | 55.6 | 42% / 49% / 97% | 1.41% 1.29–1.53% across 5 munis | $4,303/yr | $624,750 8 active | 39.4 |
Northern LehighHigh tax Lehigh County | 51.7 | 35% / 46% / 95% | 1.72% 1.50–1.94% across 2 munis | $5,778/yr | $334,450 2 active | 30.1 |
Hamburg AreaLow tax Berks County | 51.7 | 39% / 43% / 93% | 1.29% 1.24–1.53% across 7 munis | $4,170/yr | $239,900 15 active | 40.1 |
Governor MifflinHigh tax Berks County | 49.5 | 38% / 40% / 91% | 1.67% 1.51–1.70% across 5 munis | $5,123/yr | $342,500 26 active | 29.6 |
Bensalem TownshipLow tax Bucks County | 49.4 | 36% / 44% / 89% | 1.37% | $4,782/yr | — | 36.1 |
Bristol BoroughLow tax Bucks County | 49.2 | 39% / 42% / 86% | 1.38% | $4,061/yr | $379,900 23 active | 35.7 |
Catasauqua AreaHigh tax Lehigh County | 46.6 | 31% / 39% / 92% | 1.70% 1.33–2.07% across 2 munis | $5,122/yr | $247,500 4 active | 27.4 |
Bethlehem AreaHigh tax Lehigh County | 45.4 | 33% / 36% / 89% | 1.59% 1.45–1.72% across 2 munis | $4,317/yr | $479,000 21 active | 28.6 |
MuhlenbergHigh tax Berks County | 42.1 | 27% / 34% / 90% | 1.82% 1.79–1.84% across 2 munis | $5,940/yr | $364,900 21 active | 23.1 |
AntietamHigh tax Berks County | 42.0 | 27% / 36% / 84% | 2.51% 2.45–2.56% across 2 munis | $7,934/yr | $272,500 12 active | 16.7 |
PottstownHigh tax Montgomery County | 40.2 | 26% / 32% / 84% | 2.03% | $6,144/yr | — | 19.8 |
Bristol TownshipHigh tax Bucks County | 38.8 | 28% / 27% / 86% | 1.65% | $5,979/yr | $437,990 16 active | 23.5 |
Morrisville BoroughHigh tax Bucks County | 38.8 | 26% / 26% / 92% | 1.97% | $7,089/yr | — | 19.7 |
Norristown AreaHigh tax Montgomery County | 37.8 | 28% / 26% / 82% | 1.55% 1.48–1.99% across 3 munis | $5,481/yr | $302,500 62 active | 24.4 |
AllentownHigh tax Lehigh County | 28.8 | 16% / 19% / 75% | 1.53% | $5,034/yr | $270,000 9 active | 18.8 |
ReadingHigh tax Berks County | 28.1 | 14% / 18% / 78% | 1.59% | $2,773/yr | $190,000 76 active | 17.7 |
Montgomery County | n/a | — / — / — | 0.57% | $0/yr | — | n/a |
Sort any column. “Typical total tax” applies the district’s median municipal millage — the range shows the cheapest and priciest municipality inside the district.
Methodology
Academic Index (0–100).40% PSSA grades 3–8 (mean of ELA and Math % proficient-or-advanced), 40% Keystone grade 11 (mean of Algebra I, Literature, Biology), 20% four-year cohort graduation rate — all from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s official district-level files, “All Students” group, 2025 administration (SY 2024-25). Statewide baselines: PSSA ELA 48.5%, Math 41.7%, graduation 89.1%. We publish the components so you can re-weight them yourself. The index measures student outcomes; it does not isolate school effectiveness from demographics, and a district’s score is not a verdict on any individual school.
Effective tax rates.Pennsylvania millage isn’t comparable across counties — Bucks assesses on 1972 values, Lehigh on 2013 values. We convert: effective rate = millage × the county’s certified Common Level Ratio, expressed as % of purchase price. “Typical total” adds county millage, the district’s medianmunicipal millage, and school millage; the table shows each district’s full municipal range. Dollar figures use a $450,000 purchase assessed at the current CLR — the right baseline for a buyer, since PA does not reassess on sale. For a specific home, the calculator and every NookLocal listing page do the exact math.
Market context. Median asking price and inventory are computed from active residential listings in NookLocal-covered towns (Bright MLS feed, snapshot 2026-06-11); districts without covered inventory show “—”. Small districts can swing on a handful of listings — read the count next to the median. Bryn Athyn School District appears unscored: it operates no public schools, the only district in Pennsylvania that doesn’t.
Cross-county districts.Boyertown Area, Upper Perkiomen, North Penn, Souderton Area, Twin Valley, and Bethlehem Area each cross a county line. Each side is billed on its own county’s assessments, so we show the rate for the side listed and note the other.
Questions buyers actually ask
Which eastern PA school districts offer the best schools for the lowest property taxes?
Scored on 2025 state data and current tax rates, the strongest value quadrant — above-median schools at a below-median total tax rate — is led by New Hope-Solebury (index 81.1, ~1.00% of home value per year), Palisades (index 68.9, ~0.93% of home value per year), Wissahickon (index 77.6, ~1.08% of home value per year), Colonial (index 79.0, ~1.11% of home value per year), Council Rock (index 77.1, ~1.12% of home value per year).
Which school district has the highest property taxes in the Bucks–Montgomery–Lehigh–Berks footprint?
Antietam (Berks County) carries the highest typical total burden at about 2.51% of purchase price per year — roughly $11,295 annually on a $450,000 home. The lowest is Palisades at about 0.93%. Note these are totals (county + municipal + school); a district can levy modest school millage while its boroughs carry heavy municipal rates.
Central Bucks vs. Council Rock: which has lower property taxes?
They are close. Council Rock's typical total runs about 1.12% of home value vs. Central Bucks at 1.16% — on a $450,000 purchase that is roughly $5,054 vs. $5,222 per year. Academically they also track closely (index 77.1 vs. 77.5). The bigger swing is which municipality you buy in — use the per-municipality range in the table.
How is the NookLocal Academic Index calculated?
A 0–100 composite of official Pennsylvania Department of Education results: 40% PSSA grades 3–8 (average of English Language Arts and Math % proficient-or-advanced, 2025 administration), 40% Keystone Exams grade 11 (average of Algebra I, Literature, and Biology % proficient-or-advanced), and 20% four-year cohort graduation rate (SY 2024-25). All figures are the "All Students" group as published — no demographic adjustment, no survey data, no proprietary ratings. It measures outcomes, not school effectiveness.
Why do Bucks County school millage rates look 5–10× higher than Lehigh County's?
Assessment base years. Bucks County assessments still sit on 1972 values, so districts levy large millage on small assessments; Lehigh reassessed in 2013, so millage is small on near-market assessments. Raw millage is meaningless across county lines — this page converts every district to an effective rate (millage × the county's Common Level Ratio), which is the percentage of a home's market value you'd actually pay.
Will my property taxes match these rates if I buy?
These rates assume an assessment at the county's current Common Level Ratio — the right baseline for a purchase, since PA does not reassess on sale. A long-held home can be assessed above or below that level, and a sale far above the implied value can invite a school-district assessment appeal. Every NookLocal listing shows the recomputed bill from the home's actual assessment, plus an appeal-risk check.
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School boards adopt 2026–27 budgets in June and the new Common Level Ratio takes effect July 1. We recompute every district's true rate and send the movers — which districts got more expensive, which got cheaper, ranked.
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Academic data: Pennsylvania Department of Education public district-level files (PSSA, Keystone, cohort graduation rates). Tax data: county assessment offices and the State Tax Equalization Board. Median asking prices derived from Bright MLS listing data for NookLocal-covered towns; deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Scores summarize published outcomes only. Verify current rates with the district and county before transacting.