If you’ve opened your local tax bill recently and felt your stomach drop — you’re not alone.
Residents across the Poconos and throughout Pennsylvania are seeing steep increases in their property tax bills this year. Many assume their local township or borough raised taxes — but in most cases, it’s actually the county line on your bill that jumped.
In fact, all 67 counties in Pennsylvania saw property tax hikes this year. Monroe County’s increase has stirred particular concern, with many homeowners reporting jumps of 25% to over 37%. But what’s driving these increases?
🧾 County vs. Municipal: Know What You're Looking At
The confusion starts with the bill itself. When residents get their property tax statement, it includes multiple taxing bodies: local municipality, school district, and county.
This year, it’s the county portion that increased — not the township or borough tax. But because everything comes bundled together, many residents believe their local municipality is responsible for the spike.
🏞️ The Poconos Factor: Forests, Streams — and Tax-Exempt Land
In the Poconos, there’s an added wrinkle: large swaths of tax-exempt land.
Religious groups, summer camps, and other nonprofits have been buying up property across Monroe and surrounding counties — and once a nonprofit owns land, it’s generally removed from the local tax rolls. These parcels no longer contribute to funding the roads, schools, and emergency services we all rely on.
This is especially significant in the Poconos, where scenic woodlands, streams, and isolated lots make the area attractive for retreats and religious organizations. At the same time, there’s little commercial development to offset the loss, leaving homeowners to pick up the slack.
📉 Less Taxable Land = More Burden on the Rest
Here’s the basic math: when more land is tax-exempt, the cost of running local government is spread over fewer properties. That means higher bills for everyone else, especially when costs for public services continue to climb.
This issue isn’t limited to churches — other nonprofits, land conservancies, and even government-preserved lands all reduce the taxable base. The problem is simply more noticeable here because the Poconos have such a high concentration of open, undeveloped land.
🧭 What Can Be Done?
Stay informed: Know which parts of your bill are county, school, and municipal.
Request a breakdown: Your county tax office can show how your tax dollars are allocated.
Push for commercial balance: Encourage thoughtful development that can help rebalance the tax base.
Track tax-exempt properties: This data is public. You have the right to know what’s being taken off the rolls.
❗ Bottom Line:
Yes, your property taxes likely went up — and yes, the biggest chunk of that increase is from the county.
In places like the Poconos, a mix of factors is making things worse: fewer commercial properties, more nonprofits acquiring land, and rising service costs.
It's not about pointing fingers — it’s about understanding the full picture and having a conversation about how we move forward fairly.