Estimate your Massachusetts property tax based on the state's 1.00% average effective rate. Enter your home value for an instant, free calculation.
Enter any tax exemption amount you qualify for in Massachusetts
Massachusetts pairs a roughly average effective rate with some of the nation's highest dollar bills, because home values are steep. Proposition 2½ caps how much a city or town can raise in total property taxes each year.
Cities and towns assess all real property annually at full and fair market value as of January 1 and set a single mill rate in dollars per $1,000 of assessed value. Proposition 2½ caps a municipality's total tax levy at 2.5% of its total assessed value and limits annual levy growth to 2.5% plus 'new growth,' unless voters approve an override. Municipalities administer and collect the tax.
| Home Value | Estimated Annual Tax | Monthly (Escrow) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $2,500 | $208/mo |
| $568,000 (median) | $5,680 | $473/mo |
| $600,000 | $6,000 | $500/mo |
Effective rates vary within Massachusetts. These figures are median-tax-to-median-value estimates from U.S. Census ACS data (2019–2023 ACS 5-year (SmartAsset)) for some of the most populous counties:
| County | Effective Rate |
|---|---|
| Middlesex County | 1.00% |
| Worcester County | 1.22% |
| Essex County | 0.99% |
| Suffolk County | 0.66% |
| Norfolk County | 1.01% |
| Bristol County | 1.01% |
| Plymouth County | 1.08% |
| Hampden County | 1.39% |
Among these counties, effective rates range from about 0.66% in Suffolk County to 1.39% in Hampden County. Your actual rate depends on the local mill/millage set by your county, city, and school district.
Massachusetts has no statewide homestead exemption that reduces the tax base (its Homestead Act is creditor protection). However, many cities and towns adopt a local-option residential exemption — up to 35% of the average assessed residential value — that shifts tax off owner-occupied homes; Boston and several others use it.
Local exemptions under M.G.L. c. 59 §5 include Clause 41C for income- and asset-qualified seniors (typically $500–$1,000+), Clause 22 for veterans (about $400 to $1,500+ by disability rating, with 100% service-connected disabled veterans often fully exempt under Clause 22E), Clause 37A for legally blind residents, and Clause 17D for certain elderly persons and surviving spouses. Amounts fall within statutory ranges and can be raised locally.
Most municipalities issue quarterly bills (mailed around July, October, January, and April) with payments due August 1, November 1, February 1, and May 1; some smaller towns bill semiannually. Late amounts accrue interest.
If you believe the assessment exceeds fair market value, file an abatement application with the local board of assessors, generally by the due date of the first actual (third-quarter) bill — typically February 1. If denied, appeal to the state Appellate Tax Board, generally within three months.
Massachusetts has about a 1.00% effective property tax rate, slightly above the national average, and among the highest median bills in the country because home values are high. Local mill rates commonly run about $10 to $20 per $1,000 of value.
Proposition 2½ caps a community's total property-tax levy at 2.5% of the total assessed value of all taxable property and limits year-over-year levy growth to 2.5% plus certified new growth, unless voters approve an override or debt exclusion.
Local exemptions include Clause 41C for income- and asset-qualified seniors, Clause 22 for veterans (larger for higher disability ratings, with 100% disabled veterans often fully exempt), and Clause 37A for the legally blind. Applications go to the local board of assessors.