Report: 7 of 12 Luzerne County school districts increased real estate taxes for 2025-26

Real estate taxes have increased in seven of the 12 Luzerne County school districts for the 2025/26 fiscal year, according to a new county treasurer’s office report.

Compiled as part of the issuance of tax bills, the report indicates the following school districts have increases for the 2025/26 year: Berwick, Crestwood, Dallas, Hazleton Area, Lake-Lehman, Northwest Area and Wyoming Area.

The remaining school districts with no tax increase, it said: Hanover Area, Greater Nanticoke Area, Pittston Area, Wilkes-Barre Area and Wyoming Valley West.

Mills are used for real estate taxation. A mill is $1 tax on every $1,000 in assessed value of real estate.

Here are the increases for Luzerne County property owners residing in the impacted school districts, along with the new total millage rates, the report said:

• Berwick, 0.2143 mill/13.1300 mills.

• Crestwood, 0.2781 mill/12.9182 mills.

• Dallas, 0.6864 mill/14.9883 mills.

• Hazleton Area, 0.85 mill/14.0880 mills.

• Lake-Lehman, 0.2509 mill/12.1430 mills.

• Northwest Area, 0.7315 mill/14.7984 mills.

• Wyoming Area, 0.7357 mill/21.789 mills.

The unchanged total millage rates in the five remaining school districts: Hanover Area, 18.7743; Greater Nanticoke Area, 12.8083; Pittston Area, 16.5413; Wilkes-Barre Area, 18.4332; and Wyoming Valley West, 18.4807.

In comparison, county government real estate taxes, which did not increase for 2025, are currently 6.3541 mills.

Calculating impact

Using a property assessed at $100,000 as an example, here are the increases and total tax bills in the seven school districts raising taxes:

• Berwick, $21.43/$1,313.

• Crestwood, $27.81/$1,292.

• Dallas, $68.64/$1,499.

• Hazleton Area, $85/$1,409.

• Lake-Lehman, $25.09/$1,214.

• Northwest Area, $73.15/$1,480.

• Wyoming Area, $73.57/$2,179.

The total tax bills in the five districts without increases for a sample property assessed at $100,000: Hanover Area, $1,877; Greater Nanticoke Area, $1,281; Pittston Area, $1,654; Wilkes-Barre Area, $1,843; and Wyoming Valley West, $1,848.

Tax break

A homestead tax break funded by casino gambling is provided on school tax bills for owner-occupied primary residences that have submitted applications through the county assessor’s office.

Based on the county report, properties in the program will receive the following amounts off their school taxes: Berwick, $350.19; Crestwood, $120.84; Dallas, $110; Greater Nanticoke Area, $327.69; Hanover Area, $423.59; Hazleton Area, $539.04; Lake-Lehman, $187.16; Northwest Area, $305; Pittston Area, $215.26; Wilkes-Barre Area, $469.12; Wyoming Area, $172.98; and Wyoming Valley West, $313.73.

This break also is available as a farmstead exclusion for buildings used for agricultural purposes on a farm that is at least 10 contiguous acres, if the farmstead also is the primary residence the property owner, the state said.

According to the state, the amount of property tax relief varies from one school district to another because the allocation formula “is designed to take equity into account — sending the most state resources to the communities with the greatest tax burden and least local wealth.”