Property taxes are going up next year | Inquirer Lower Merion
Plus, 11 ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve around town.
Hi, Lower Merion! 👋
Township commissioners recently passed the 2026 budget, which includes a tax hike. Here’s what you need to know. And with the new year just over a week away, we’ve rounded up nearly a dozen ways to celebrate 2026 in and around town.
This is our final Inquirer Lower Merion newsletter of 2025, but we’ll be back in your inboxes on Jan. 8. Thanks for reading and happy new year!
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Lower Merion residents can expect to see their property taxes go up in 2026 after the township’s board of commissioners approved an 8% increase in the upcoming budget.
Commissioners said the increase was necessary following 13 years of stagnant tax revenue from 2011 to 2024, when there were no increases. Property taxes went up 6.5% in 2025 and commissioners acknowledged next year’s increase comes with some “sticker shock,” The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner reports.
Still, it’s not as high as an initially proposed 9.5% hike. The township taxes will come on top of a 4% tax increase recently passed by Montgomery County officials.
Read more about the tax increases here.
The countdown to 2026 is on and there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the end of one year and the start of another.
We’ve rounded up 11 celebrations in and around Lower Merion, including noontime events for kids, specialty and buffet dinners, plus concerts for kids and adults.
Check out the events happening here.
💡 Community News
Trash and recycling dates will have altered schedules due to Christmas and New Year’s Day. See how your household is impacted here. The township also released its 2026 collection schedule, which you can see here.
Narberth passed its 2026 budget last week, which includes a higher earned income tax. The EIT will jump from 0.75% this year to 1% next year and is aimed at improving the borough’s capital fund. The new budget also adjusts solid waste fees so that condos and apartments pay a flat $250 per living unit. Sewer fees are also set to rise from $5.25 to $6 per 1,000 gallons. See the full budget here.
Narberth council has also voted to make permanent the no-parking zone pilot at the intersection of Price and Essex Avenues. Signage is expected to be installed in January and February, with painting set for spring.
What does $390,000 get you? In Lower Merion, a budget that size can buy a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit along Haverford’s “golden mile” of condominiums. See how that compares to neighboring areas, including Northeast Philadelphia and South Jersey.
Bryn Mawr Hospital is among the quietest hospitals in the region at night, according to newly released federal data. Patients from October 2023 to September 2024 reported Bryn Mawr being “always quiet” overnight 61% of the time, “usually quiet” 29% of the time, and “sometimes or never quiet” 10% of the time. See how Bryn Mawr compares to other regional hospitals.
Speaking of hospitals, Lankenau Medical Center made the Forbes Top Hospitals list for 2026.
Woman’s World Magazine recently caught up with Bryn Mawr native Kat Dennings to chat about her newest project, Shifting Gears, as well as her early roles and sitcom success.
A Bala Cynwyd dad launched a program in 2024 after seeing demand for Cub Scout activities on non-Sabbath days. Philadelphia Jewish Exponent recently profiled Michael Kopinsky about his inspiration and how the program quickly gained popularity among Orthodox and Sabbath-observant Jewish families.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Winter break is officially here, with students and staff returning Jan. 5. The school district’s offices will be closed Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1-2 during the break. Lower Merion High School’s pool will be closed those same days, as well as on Dec. 31.
Lower Merion High School skating duo Justin and Suri Lue took home third place in the regional level of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Nevada last month, and sixth place nationally in the intermediate division.
🍽️ On our Plate
Ardmore specialty food shop Carlino’s Market is providing food for a new cafe opening early next year at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Happy Bear Coffee Company is opening at 1201 Normandy Place, where it will serve coffee, wine, and grab-and-go items like sandwiches, soups, salads, flatbreads, and tomato pie.
Johnny’s Pizza in Bryn Mawr has some of the best takeout pizza in the Philadelphia suburbs, according to The Keystone. The outlet noted that “once you start eating it, it’s going to be hard to stop.”
🎳 Things to Do
🎤 Start Making Sense: Hear the seven-piece Talking Heads tribute band perform. ⏰ Friday, Dec. 26, 8 p.m. 💵 $33.38 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
🐑 Meet the Menagerie: Meet some of Harriton House’s farmstead animals. There will also be hot chocolate and s’mores available for purchase. ⏰ Tuesday, Dec. 30, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Harriton House
🏡 On the Market
This Merion Station property, built in 1888, is reminiscent of a castle. The home has a modern interior while paying homage to its roots by way of exposed stone walls, fireplaces, millwork, and stained glass windows. Some of its features include a curved tower, a formal dining room, and an eat-in kitchen with a large island. It also has seven bedrooms spread across the second and third floors. Outside, there’s an in-ground saltwater pool, a basketball court, multiple covered sitting areas, and a deck with a built-in kitchen.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $2.196M | Size: 6,694 SF | Acreage: 0.92
🗞️ What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:
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