STROUDSBURG – The days of assessors knocking on every door in Monroe County are over.

In a significant shift from traditional property assessment methods, Monroe County is deploying satellite imagery and aerial flyover technology to evaluate tens of thousands of properties across its 16 townships and four boroughs. The $2.1 million initiative, running through 2028, marks a technological leap for a county where property values have doubled since the pandemic and tax bills have surged accordingly.

“With the last assessment, what we did was we had Tyler Technology, and the first thing we had to do was visit every property so that we could update all of the property information,” explained Commissioner Chairman John Christy. “We do not have to do that in this one.”

Instead, the county will compare high-resolution aerial photographs of properties against baseline imagery captured during the 2020 reassessment. Only properties that look different from above—a new addition, a pool, a demolished structure—will trigger an in-person visit.

Why Now? Property Values Have Doubled

The reassessment comes as Monroe County grapples with a real estate market transformed by COVID-era migration from New York and New Jersey.

“Many know in 2020 we had Covid, and property values increased exponentially at that time between then and now, so double what they were,” said Commissioner David Parker.

That surge has pushed the county’s Common Level Ratio—a state metric comparing assessed values to actual market prices—below 50 percent. When a county’s CLR drops that low, it signals that assessments are badly outdated and the tax burden is being distributed unfairly. Some homeowners may be paying far more than their share while others pay less, simply because of when their property was last evaluated.

The consequences showed up on tax bills this year. Monroe County property owners absorbed a 37 percent tax increase in 2025—the highest jump in the entire Northeast Pennsylvania region, according to a WVIA analysis of county budgets.

County officials say reassessing every five to seven years, rather than waiting decades as Monroe once did, prevents the kind of sticker shock that infuriated residents after the 2020 reassessment—the county’s first since 1989.

How the Technology Works

Monroe County has partnered with Tyler Technologies, the nation’s largest provider of computer-assisted mass appraisal systems, which handles property assessments for more than 97 million parcels nationwide.

The system integrates high-resolution aerial imagery captured by specialized aircraft flying systematic patterns over the county. Assessors can examine residential, commercial, and industrial properties from multiple angles without leaving their desks. The technology uses AI and machine learning tools to automatically detect changes and discrepancies between current flyover images and historical data.

According to Tyler Technologies, the aerial imagery approach allows assessors to complete multiple property evaluations in the time it would take to physically drive to and inspect a single home. The company calls it “the first step in the next wave of evolution for the Assessment Office.”

For Monroe County, that means no more sending crews to measure every structure by hand across roughly 600 square miles of Pocono terrain—a process that previously took years and required property owners to be home or risk inaccurate data.

Now, if a property looks unchanged from above, the county will rely on data collected during the last reassessment. Only properties showing visible differences—construction, demolition, or significant alterations—will receive site visits.

What Homeowners Should Expect

Despite the satellite technology, some in-person work will still happen. Field assessors are already conducting data collection throughout the county and will continue through the project’s 2028 completion.

Identifying legitimate assessors:

• Monroe County-issued polo shirts
• Official photo ID badges
• Working hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. only
• They will knock and explain their visit
• They measure exteriors only and will never request to enter your home

If an adult is available, assessors may ask questions about:

• Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
• Type of heating and cooling systems
• Year the home was built
• Construction materials and physical condition
• Whether attics or basements are finished

Assessors will also photograph exteriors using smartphones or cameras. If anyone claiming to be an assessor attempts to enter your residence, the county urges residents to contact local law enforcement immediately and report the incident to the Monroe County Assessment Office.

QR Codes and Digital Verification

Starting around November 1, 2025, property owners will receive postcards in the mail containing QR codes. Scanning the code directs homeowners to a website where they can review and update their property’s information online.

This self-service portal represents another tech upgrade. Rather than waiting for an assessor to show up—and hoping they record everything accurately—property owners can verify details themselves and flag errors before the county finalizes valuations.

The reassessment is scheduled to take effect in 2028, with appeal opportunities built into the timeline for property owners who believe their new valuations are incorrect.

The $2.1 Million Question

The reassessment carries a $2.1 million price tag for Monroe County taxpayers—though officials argue the investment prevents larger problems down the road.

Without regular reassessments, tax inequities compound over time. A home assessed at its 1989 value of $80,000 might now sell for $300,000, while a newer home assessed at $250,000 sells for the same price. Both owners pay different tax amounts on properties with identical market values.

“Some people go up, some people go down, some stay the same,” Parker said. “It just levels the playing field.”

County officials have committed to making reassessment “revenue neutral,” meaning the county itself won’t collect more money simply because of higher property valuations—millage rates would be adjusted downward to compensate. However, school districts, municipalities, and other taxing authorities are not bound by the same commitment and could see increased revenue from higher assessments.

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Residents Remain Skeptical

Not everyone is convinced the new approach will ease the pain.

“You’re still going to pay, so you know it’s their way of trying to mask fact that they’re going to gouge us again,” Stroudsburg resident Theresa Valleri told Newswatch 16.

“No, I don’t need anymore taxes, I don’t need more anything at this stage of our life,” said Linda Bailey, also of Stroudsburg.

Milton Newberry of Stroud Township was more blunt: “We won’t kill you all at once; we’ll just stab you a little bit every year. So every 5 years, what I have to look forward to is my income going less and less far.”

The frustration reflects a broader tension across Pennsylvania, where property taxes remain among the highest in the nation and periodic reassessments—no matter how technologically sophisticated—inevitably mean winners and losers.

What You Can Do

Property owners concerned about their upcoming reassessment have several options:

Before reassessment finalizes:

• Watch for the QR code postcard (expected November 2025)
• Review your property data online and correct any errors
• Cooperate with field assessors if they visit—accurate information benefits you

After receiving your new assessment:

• Compare your valuation to similar properties in your neighborhood
• File a formal appeal within 40 days of receiving your Assessment Change Notice, or by August 1 of any year for the following tax year
• Appeal forms are available at the Monroe County Assessment Office or online at monroecountypa.gov

Contact: Monroe County Assessment Office Phone: 570-517-3133 Address: One Quaker Plaza, Stroudsburg, PA 18360

The Bottom Line

Monroe County’s shift to satellite-assisted assessment represents a broader trend in government: using technology to do more with less while (officials hope) improving accuracy and fairness.

Whether the aerial approach delivers on that promise won’t be clear until 2028, when new valuations take effect and property owners across the Poconos open their tax bills.

Until then, residents should watch their mailboxes for that QR code postcard—and maybe look up at the sky, where the next assessment has already begun.