Philadelphia Common Level Ratio Changes to 1.06

The Common Level Ratio used in Philadelphia property assessment appeals changes to 1.06 on Friday.

The ratio is set each year for every county in Pennsylvania by the State Tax Equalization Board. It shows the level at which assessed values across a county stand in relation to actual market prices.

In an appeal, the figure works as a yardstick. The market value of a property is multiplied by the ratio, and the result is the benchmark assessed value. If a home’s assessment sits above that benchmark, the owner can argue the home was valued more heavily than comparable homes and press for the assessment to be lowered.

Philadelphia assesses property at close to 100% of market value, so its ratio has moved in a range around 1. A ratio of 1.06 means the benchmark in an appeal is now set at 106% of market value. A home assessed above 106% of its market value has that much room to argue for a reduction.

The number does not by itself change any home’s tax bill. It plays no part in setting new assessments. It is a standard applied in the process of challenging an assessment that is already in place, in appeals that reach the courts and in reviews still to come.

The city sent out assessment notices for the 2027 tax year in June and estimated that the tax bill for the median home would rise by about $97. In disputes over assessed value, the ratio is one of the most concrete numbers an owner can hold.