Pennsylvania · Somerset County · Local exemptions · Updated Oct 2026
Somerset County, PA property tax exemptions (2026)
The property tax breaks that are set or run locally in Somerset County, on top of Pennsylvania’s statewide rules: what each is worth here, who qualifies, where to apply and the deadline.
What is different in Somerset County
The state-funded homestead/farmstead school tax relief in Somerset County depends on your school district: PDE estimates it at $195 to $345 a year per approved home for 2025-26 across 11 districts. You apply once with the Somerset County Assessment Office by March 1; other exemptions follow the statewide rules.
Apply at
Somerset County Assessment Office
Phone
814-445-1536
Local breaks
Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006)
Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006)
Varies by school district. PDE estimates 2025-26 school tax relief per approved homestead from $195 (Windber Area SD) to $345 (Shanksville-Stonycreek SD) across the 11 districts PDE lists under Somerset County (median $255). The actual amount is calculated by each district and shown on your school tax bill; see the table of districts.
Set by
school district (state program, local amount)
Tax year
2025-26
Who qualifies
You own the home and it is your permanent primary residence. Farmstead: farm buildings used for agriculture on a farm of 10 or more contiguous acres. No age or income test.
How to apply
File the Homestead/Farmstead application with the Somerset County Assessment Office by March 1. Your school district mails applications to owners who are not yet enrolled; you can also get the form from the county office.
Deadline
March 1 for the school tax year that starts July 1
Renewal
One-time: once approved you do not reapply unless ownership changes or you move. Tell the assessment office within 45 days if the home stops being your primary residence.
Roughly what an exemption could save you a year: the value it takes off, times your tax rate.
Eligibility finder for Somerset County
Answer a few questions to see which property tax breaks may fit you. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Document checklist for Somerset County
Pick the breaks you plan to apply for. You get a checklist of forms, documents, steps and deadlines to print or keep on your phone.
Questions about property tax exemptions in Somerset County
What property tax exemptions are there in Somerset County?
The state-funded homestead/farmstead school tax relief in Somerset County depends on your school district: PDE estimates it at $195 to $345 a year per approved home for 2025-26 across 11 districts. You apply once with the Somerset County Assessment Office by March 1; other exemptions follow the statewide rules. Local breaks here: Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006).
Where do I apply for a property tax exemption in Somerset County?
Somerset County Assessment Office Phone: 814-445-1536. Also: Pennsylvania Department of Education, Property Tax Relief, which state program: sets each school district's yearly property tax reduction allocation.
When is the deadline to apply in Somerset County?
Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006): March 1 for the school tax year that starts July 1.
Do I have to reapply every year in Somerset County?
Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion (state gaming-funded school tax relief, Act 1 of 2006): One-time: once approved you do not reapply unless ownership changes or you move. Tell the assessment office within 45 days if the home stops being your primary residence.
Do Pennsylvania’s statewide exemptions apply in Somerset County too?
Yes. The statewide breaks on our Pennsylvania page apply here as well, for example Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion (Taxpayer Relief Act), Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program and Disabled Veterans' Real Estate Tax Exemption. This page adds what Somerset County sets or runs itself.
Good to know in Somerset County
If your school district is not in the table, PDE lists it under a neighboring county (a district that crosses county lines appears under one county only); the application still goes to the assessment office of the county where your home is.
PDE's per-homestead figures are estimates; each district calculates the actual reduction and must show it on the school tax bill as a "Notice of Property Tax Relief".
Median effective tax rate for Somerset County: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2020–2024 5-year estimates, county figures as published by Tax Foundation. The rate is property taxes paid divided by home value.