PA · #5 by population

Buying a home in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, the median owner-occupied home is valued at $292,400 (Census ACS 2025); the state tax on the sale comes to $2,924, and owners pay a median $3,311 a year in property tax (1.3% effective rate).

In short

Pennsylvania taxes property sales through its realty transfer tax, does not require an attorney at closing and requires a seller disclosure form. It forecloses through the courts and is not a community property state.

Key figures for Pennsylvania

  • Median home value: $292,400, owner-occupied homes, Census ACS 2025; $269,200 in the city of Philadelphia. Compare
  • Price trend: The FHFA House Price Index shows Pennsylvania prices up 3.9% and Philadelphia-area prices up 2.8% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.
  • State transfer tax: 1% of the value of the property; $2,924 on $292,400. Compare
  • Median property tax paid: $3,311 a year, 1.3% of the median value (U.S.: 0.94%), Census ACS 2020-2024. By county
  • Cities covered by Payotte: 6 in Pennsylvania.

Calculate for Pennsylvania

If you buy

Pennsylvania state transfer tax

Realty transfer tax: 1% of the value of the property. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$292,400
State transfer tax$2,924
Share of the price1% of the price
Who paysShared by buyer and seller

Default price: the Pennsylvania median value of owner-occupied homes, $292,400 (Census ACS 2025). Rule: 1% of the value of the real estate, including contracted-for improvements, plus assumed debt. For transfers with no sale price, such as gifts or foreclosures, the base is assessed value times the Department of Revenue's Common Level Ratio factor for the county. Plus Philadelphia's city share of 3.578% (since July 1, 2025), 4.578% in total with the state (City of Philadelphia). Who pays: The state holds seller and buyer jointly and severally liable. In Philadelphia the tax is usually split evenly but this is not required, and the city can collect 100% from either party; the contract decides the split. Not included: other county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Pennsylvania transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Pennsylvania state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Cities in Pennsylvania

  • Philadelphia main city of Pennsylvania on Payotte, 9th largest U.S. metro area
  • Pittsburgh 28th largest U.S. metro area
  • Allentown 66th largest U.S. metro area
  • Harrisburg 94th largest U.S. metro area
  • Reading 96,000 residents, Reading, PA metro area (124th largest)
  • Erie 92,940 residents, Erie, PA metro area (188th largest)

Sectors of Philadelphia

How Philadelphia is divided: 10 most populous of 18 planning districts.

Buying in Pennsylvania: frequently asked questions

What is the median home value in Pennsylvania?

The median value of owner-occupied homes in Pennsylvania is $292,400 (Census ACS 2025), and $269,200 in the city of Philadelphia. These are owner estimates, not sale prices. The FHFA House Price Index shows Pennsylvania prices up 3.9% and Philadelphia-area prices up 2.8% between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026.

Median home value in all 50 states

Is there a real estate transfer tax in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania's realty transfer tax is 1% of the value of the property, and counties and municipalities add a local tax. Philadelphia adds 3.578% for a total of 4.578%. Both buyer and seller are liable to the state, and in Philadelphia the tax is usually split evenly.

Full Pennsylvania guide · Compare all 50 states

How much is the state transfer tax on a $292,400 home in Pennsylvania?

On $292,400, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Pennsylvania (Census ACS 2025), the state realty transfer tax comes to $2,924 (1% of the value of the property). County and city taxes are not included.

Full Pennsylvania guide · Compare all 50 states

What closing costs does Pennsylvania law set?

Pennsylvania has no official typical closing-cost total. The realty transfer tax is 1% to the state plus local tax, 4.578% in Philadelphia ($11,610 on $253,600), usually split between buyer and seller, and Philadelphia charges $278.75 to record a deed.

Full Pennsylvania guide · Compare all 50 states

How is property tax calculated in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania's property tax is local, set by the county, municipality and school district. In Philadelphia the 2025 rate is 1.3998% of assessed value, and the Homestead Exemption removes $100,000 of assessed value, saving most owners up to $1,399 a year.

Full Pennsylvania guide · Compare all 50 states

How much property tax do homeowners pay in Pennsylvania?

Owner-occupants in Pennsylvania pay a median $3,311 a year in property tax on a median home value of $254,500, an effective rate of 1.3% (U.S.: $3,119, 0.94%), per Census ACS 2020-2024 estimates.

Property tax by county in Pennsylvania

What is the deadline to appeal a property tax assessment in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania outside Philadelphia, appeal to the county board of assessment appeals by September 1 (or the county's date, no earlier than August 1. 40 days from a changed-assessment notice), and in Philadelphia appeal to the Board of Revision of Taxes by the first Monday in October.

Full Pennsylvania guide · Compare all 50 states

Do you need a real estate attorney to close in Pennsylvania?

In the Pennsylvania statutes and rules read, no law requires an attorney to close a home sale. Closings are commonly run by title insurance agents who hold a certificate of qualification from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (Insurance Company Law of 1921, 724.1).

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What must a home seller disclose in Pennsylvania?

A Pennsylvania seller must give the buyer a signed, dated property disclosure statement before both sides sign the agreement of transfer (68 Pa.C.S. 7303). A buyer who proves a willful or negligent violation can recover actual damages if suing within 2 years after final settlement.

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How does foreclosure work in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania foreclosure is judicial: the lender files a civil action in court, after sending an Act 91 notice giving the homeowner 30 days plus 3 for mailing to meet a consumer credit counselor, and the borrower must be at least 60 days behind.

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What first-time home buyer programs does Pennsylvania offer?

In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) offers a Keystone Advantage Assistance loan of up to 4% of the price or $6,000, whichever is less, and a K-FIT loan of 5% of the price or value forgiven over ten years.

Full Pennsylvania guide · Compare all 50 states

How much tax when you sell a home in Pennsylvania?

The federal rule is the same in Pennsylvania as in every state: if you owned and lived in the home as your main home for at least 2 of the last 5 years, the first $250,000 of gain is excluded, $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly (Section 121, IRS Publication 523). Bought $400,000, sold $750,000: a single owner has $100,000 of taxable gain, $15,000 of federal tax at the 15% long-term rate; a couple filing jointly owes nothing. Pennsylvania income tax on the gain is not computed here.

Capital gains on a home sale

Pennsylvania guides

Professionals in Pennsylvania

Sources

Data as of . Figures are computed from these sources.

All states · Federal guides