Moving to Pottstown
Moving to Pottstown, PA
Thinking about making the move? Here's the lay of the land from a local. A new guide joins this page every Monday.
First thing to know: "Pottstown" is bigger than Pottstown
Pottstown itself is a borough in Montgomery County, on the Schuylkill River. It was laid out in 1752 and 1753 and first named Pottsgrove, after its founder, John Potts. But a Pottstown mailing address can land you in several different townships, and even across the river in Chester County. Each township sets its own rules for things like trash pickup and local taxes, and the school district depends on your exact address.
That's why I made a quick town by town guide to counties and school districts. Start there.
School districts
The Pottstown area is served by several public school districts, including the Pottstown School District, Pottsgrove School District, Owen J. Roberts School District, Spring-Ford Area School District and Boyertown Area School District. Always confirm your school assignment with the district using the exact address before you buy or rent. Districts are happy to help.
Property taxes, town by town
In Pennsylvania, your property tax bill comes from three places: the county, your township or borough, and your school district. The school district is usually the biggest piece. Each sets a rate in mills, and one mill is 1 dollar of tax for every 1,000 dollars of your home's assessed value. Here are the 2026 rates (school rates are for the 2026-27 school year):
| Town | County | Township or borough | School district | Total mills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County (county 5.462 + community college 0.49) | ||||
| Pottstown (borough) | 5.952 | 15.601 | 45.28 (Pottstown SD) | 66.833 |
| Lower Pottsgrove | 5.952 | 4.868 | 43.128 (Pottsgrove SD) | 53.948 |
| Upper Pottsgrove | 5.952 | 4.75 | 43.128 (Pottsgrove SD) | 53.83 |
| West Pottsgrove | 5.952 | 7.5 | 43.128 (Pottsgrove SD) | 56.58 |
| Limerick | 5.952 | 3.483 | 35.382 (Spring-Ford) | 44.817 |
| Royersford (borough) | 5.952 | 9.95 | 35.382 (Spring-Ford) | 51.284 |
| Douglass (Gilbertsville) | 5.952 | 3.5 | 33.31 (Boyertown Area) | 42.762 |
| Chester County (county 5.164) | ||||
| North Coventry | 5.164 | 3.58 | 37.4507 (Owen J. Roberts) | 46.1947 |
| East Coventry | 5.164 | 4.75 | 37.4507 (Owen J. Roberts) | 47.3647 |
| South Coventry | 5.164 | 0.5 | 37.4507 (Owen J. Roberts) | 43.1147 |
| Spring City (borough) | 5.164 | 5.18 | 35.382 (Spring-Ford) | 45.726 |
| Elverson (borough) | 5.164 | 0 | 33.076 (Twin Valley) | 38.24 |
How to estimate a tax bill: take the home's assessed value, divide by 1,000, and multiply by the total mills. For example, a home assessed at 100,000 dollars in Lower Pottsgrove would pay about 5,395 dollars a year (100 times 53.948).
Important: assessed value is not the same as the sale price, and Montgomery and Chester counties assess homes differently, so total mills can't be compared straight across the county line. Every property's assessed value is public on the county assessment website, and it's the number that matters. I'm always happy to pull up the real tax figure for any home you're curious about.
Sources: Montgomery County millage rates and Chester County tax rates, 2026. Rates can change each year, so confirm with the taxing office. If you buy a home you'll live in, apply for the homestead exclusion through the county assessment office, which can lower your school tax.
What renting costs
Here's what the U.S. Census Bureau reports for median gross rent. "Gross rent" means rent plus the average cost of utilities like electric, gas and water, so it's a good picture of the full monthly cost.
| Area | Median gross rent per month |
|---|---|
| Pottstown (borough) | 1,260 dollars |
| Montgomery County overall | 1,683 dollars |
| Chester County overall | 1,763 dollars |
So renting in the borough has typically run a few hundred dollars a month less than the county averages. One honest heads up: these are survey averages collected from 2020 to 2024, so today's asking rents, especially for newer apartments, are usually higher. If you're weighing renting against buying, let's talk. I can show you what a monthly mortgage payment might look like next to current rents.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024.
Getting around
Route 422 runs right past town, heading east toward King of Prussia and the Philadelphia suburbs and west toward Reading. That makes Pottstown a popular spot for people who work in either direction.
Parks and the outdoors
Pottstown Parks and Recreation was named the 2026 Agency of the Year by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, and once you visit you'll see why. A few favorites:
- Memorial Park, 75 W. King St., home of the GoFourth celebration on the Fourth of July
- Riverfront Park, 140 College Drive, open daily from sunrise to sunset
- Coventry Woods Park in North Coventry, home of the spring Coventry Woods Festival
Everyday life
- Library: Pottstown Regional Public Library, 500 E. High St.
- College: Montgomery County Community College has a campus in Pottstown, near the Schuylkill River.
- Hospital: Pottstown Hospital, 1600 E. High St.
- Farm fresh: The Pottstown FARM market runs on select Saturdays from spring through October at Smith Family Plaza, 100 E. High St. Year round, Dutch Country Farm Market in Spring City is a local favorite (yes, the soft pretzels live up to the hype).
Coming up on Mondays
New guides land every Monday. On the list: trash and recycling, registering your car after a move, dog parks and pet licenses, a downtown High Street walking guide, and what to expect from a Pottstown winter. Have a question you want answered? Ask me and it may become the next guide.
Want a local's take on your move?
I'm happy to answer questions about any town on this page, no strings attached.