By Josh McKnight | The McKnight Team
Pottstown Borough staff showed council two versions of a $64.4 million draft budget for 2027. One raises taxes 5.89%, about $92 a year on a $100,000 assessment. The other raises them 6.42%, about $100, and adds the $65,000 increase the library asked for. Both close a gap of about $725,000.
Pottstown property taxes are not the only bill in question this fall. Next door, a review presented October 19 found that Upper Pottsgrove Township has not covered its recurring costs with recurring revenue for five years. The two towns share a market but face very different decisions. Council meeting materials are posted on the borough’s agenda page.
What Is Pushing Pottstown Property Taxes Up
Borough Manager Justin Keller pointed to inflation, wages, a 4.5% police raise, pension and health care costs, and union talks. The borough also expects the police and fire chiefs to retire. Staff cut expenses and spread some projects over two years, including a rewrite of the zoning code. Your share depends on your assessment, so check your last bill to see where you land.
Upper Pottsgrove Has a Different Problem
Upper Pottsgrove’s gap is older. A review by Transcend Finance found the township filled shortfalls with one-time money, including interest on $9.48 million from the sale of its sewer system, and both sources are ending. The report also found $500,000 set aside for a new municipal building was moved to operating costs.
Commission Chairman Al Leach said the 2026 budget leans on about $553,600 in temporary money. Township Manager Joseph Geib said the township is stable. Former commissioner Don Read argued the review is meant to justify a tax increase of as much as 38%. That figure is his claim, not a proposal. The draft 2027 budget is expected in early November.
Who Pays More, and Who Comes Out Ahead
Start with prices. Pottstown Borough homes sold for a median of $260,000 from April through September 2026, with a median of 8 days to contract, per Bright MLS data in our Montgomery County housing market report. Upper Pottsgrove homes sold for a median of $441,500 in the same window, at a median of 6 days. Our read: a $92 to $100 increase is small next to a $181,500 gap in price. Buyers who choose the borough for its price are unlikely to walk away over it.
If you own in the borough, you pay the increase first, and you know the size of it now. If you own in Upper Pottsgrove, you do not know yet, and that uncertainty is the real cost until the draft comes out. If you rent in either town, your landlord may pass part of a tax increase through at renewal, though not every landlord does. Your school district bill is separate and usually the larger part of what you pay.
If You Own in Pottstown or Upper Pottsgrove
If you plan to sell next year, list with the current tax figure and be ready to explain the change. A clear answer keeps a deal moving. If you are buying, ask the listing agent for the latest tax bill and add the proposed increase to your monthly budget. For both towns and the rest of the Pottsgroves, see our Pottstown community page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pottstown Property Taxes
How much will my Pottstown property taxes go up in 2027?
Under the draft budget, about $92 a year on a $100,000 assessment at 5.89%, or about $100 at 6.42% if the library increase is included. Council has not adopted either version yet.
Why are there two versions of the Pottstown budget?
The only difference is library funding. One version keeps the library’s support flat. The other adds the $65,000 increase the library requested, which raises the tax increase from 5.89% to 6.42%.
Is Upper Pottsgrove raising taxes 38%?
No proposal says that. Former commissioner Don Read claimed the financial review could be used to justify an increase of up to 38%. The township’s draft 2027 budget is expected in early November.
When will Upper Pottsgrove release its 2027 budget?
The draft 2027 budget is expected in early November. It follows a Transcend Finance review that found recurring revenue has not covered recurring costs for five years, so watch the proposed tax rate closely.
Thinking about buying or selling in Pottstown? Let’s talk.
