The Cumru Township tax increase for 2026 raises the municipal millage from 8.83 mills to 10.85 mills, roughly a 23% jump. On a property assessed at $100,000, that adds about $202 to your township tax bill for the year. The Board of Commissioners approved the change as part of an $11 million budget, with increases spread across the general fund and two separate public safety levies.
The 2026 Millage Rate Breakdown
The new rate combines three separate levies, each of which went up:
- General fund: 6.5 mills, up from 5.34 mills
- Fire services: 3.0 mills, up from 2.3 mills
- Emergency services and ambulance: 0.5 mills, up from 0.34 mills
Add them together and you get the 10.85-mill total. A mill equals one dollar of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value, so a home assessed at $100,000 owes $1,085 in township taxes under the new rate, compared with $883 under the old one.
Figuring Your Own Bill
To calculate what you owe, multiply your assessed value by the millage and divide by 1,000. A home assessed at $150,000 at 10.85 mills owes $1,627.50 in township taxes. Your assessed value is set by the Berks County Assessment Office and is not the same as what your home would sell for today; Pennsylvania uses a base-year system that pegs values to a historical year rather than updating them annually.1County of Berks. Assessment You can find your current assessed value on your most recent assessment notice or through the Assessment Office’s public records.
Township millage is only part of what you pay. Cumru property owners also owe Berks County taxes and school district taxes, and the school portion is by far the largest. The combined 2026 rate for Cumru properties is approximately 48.63 mills across all taxing bodies, with the school district alone at 33.12 mills.2County of Berks. 2026 Berks County Tax Rates On a $100,000 assessed home, the full annual bill lands near $4,863. The township’s $202 increase is real, but it sits inside a much larger bill driven mostly by school taxes.
Payment Deadlines, Discount, and Penalty
Cumru follows Pennsylvania’s standard three-phase collection schedule. Paying early earns a discount; paying late triggers a penalty.
- Through April 30: 2% discount off the face amount.
- May 1 through June 30: face amount due, no adjustment.
- After June 30: 10% penalty added to the base amount.
Payments go to the elected township tax collector. Accepted methods are cash (exact change), check, or money order. Bring the full bill if you pay in person so you can get it stamped as a receipt. Some collectors offer online payment, usually with a processing fee on top.
If you don’t pay by the end of the year, your account is turned over to the Berks County Tax Claim Bureau, which handles delinquent collection and can eventually schedule the property for a tax sale.3Berks County. Tax Claim Bureau If you fall behind, contact the bureau about a payment plan before matters escalate.
Programs That Can Lower What You Owe
Two programs can take a meaningful bite out of the increase if you qualify.
Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion
Pennsylvania lets school districts reduce the assessed value of owner-occupied homes before calculating school property taxes, which is the largest piece of your bill. You apply through the Berks County Assessment Office, and the deadline is March 1 for the upcoming tax year.4PA Department of Community and Economic Development. Property Tax Relief Through Homestead Exclusion The exclusion applies only to your primary residence. If your property is already approved, it renews automatically; if you’ve never applied, request the form from the Assessment Office.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program
Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program pays direct rebates to eligible homeowners and renters. You qualify if you are 65 or older, a widow or widower 50 or older, or a person with a disability 18 or older, with annual household income of $48,110 or less. Standard rebates run from $380 to $1,000 based on income, and homeowners whose property taxes exceed 15% of total income may receive a supplemental rebate of up to $500. The deadline for the current cycle is June 30, 2026.5Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program
Appealing Your Assessment
If you think your assessed value is too high, an appeal is the single move that lowers all three parts of your bill at once: township, county, and school. In Berks County, the annual appeal window runs from June 15 through August 1.1County of Berks. Assessment Starting in 2026, the Board of Assessment Appeals is holding hearings in person rather than by phone.
A strong appeal shows that your assessed value exceeds your property’s actual market value once the county’s common level ratio is applied. That ratio bridges the gap between base-year assessments and current market values, and the Assessment Office publishes it on its website. Useful evidence includes recent comparable sales nearby, a private appraisal, or documentation of conditions that reduce the property’s value. Filing fees were revised effective January 1, 2026, so confirm the current amount with the Assessment Office before you file.
A successful reduction carries through every taxing body that uses the Berks County assessment roll, which is why appeals tend to pay off most for homeowners who are genuinely over-assessed rather than merely unhappy with a rate change.