Town Hall · Lower Merion

Lower Merion, PA town hall & government

Lower Merion spent $118.2 million in the year to December 31, 2024, about $1,843 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Lower Merion's government.

Town budget

Where Lower Merion's money goes

Spent
$118.2 million
fiscal year to December 31, 2024
Per resident
$1,843
typical Pennsylvania towns: $1,117
Long-term debt
$93.9 million
$1,464 per resident
Police
$32.2 million27%
Sewer & trash
$21.5 million18%
Roads & transportation
$19.6 million17%
Parks & libraries
$15.1 million13%
Administration & buildings
$12.8 million11%
Fire
$5.3 million4%
Interest on debt
$3.1 million3%
Housing & development
$1.7 million1%
Water & other utilities
$1.4 million1%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$394,000<1%
Other
$5 million4%

Where the money comes from

  • Other taxes & licenses 31%
  • Property taxes 29%
  • Fees & charges 19%
  • Interest, fines & other 14%
  • From the state 5%
  • From the federal government 1%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Lower Merion

Full-time staff
398
172 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$128,600
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
121
and 5 full-time firefighters
Police
133 full-time14 part
Parks & libraries
55 full-time133 part
Administration & buildings
82 full-time17 part
Sewer & trash
62 full-time8 part
Roads & transportation
31 full-time
Fire
6 full-time
Housing & development
1 full-time
Other
28 full-time

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Lower Merion School District

Lower Merion's K–12 school district, shared with Narberth. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$32,865
Pennsylvania: $21,758
Students
8,518
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$174.3 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Pennsylvania districts overall: 55% local, 37% state, 8% federal

  • Local 84%
  • State 15%
  • Federal 1%

Of the $32,865 per pupil, $20,722 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Lower Merion pay

Typical tax bill
$9,960
a year · Pennsylvania typical $3,311
Effective rate
1.23%
of home value · Pennsylvania 1.30%
Typical home value
$810,400
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Lower Merion's government

🏛️ Official websitelowermerion.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Lower Merion →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Lower Merion

Lower Merion is represented in Congress by Senators John Fetterman and David McCormick and Representatives Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon. Josh Shapiro is governor.

All of Lower Merion's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

The door’s open

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Lower Merion, PAMontgomery CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01