Boston’s residential property tax rate for fiscal year 2026 is $12.40 per $1,000 of assessed value. The rates for the 24 cities and towns near Boston covered in our area guides range from $6.67 in Cambridge to $12.62 in Everett for the same year. Every rate below comes from the Massachusetts Division of Local Services (DLS) Tax Rates by Class data, checked on October 8, 2026.
FY2026 residential tax rates near Boston
Rates are per $1,000 of assessed value. The second column is the rate for commercial, industrial and personal property (CIP), shown so you can see which communities split their rates.
| City or town | Residential rate (FY2026) | Commercial, industrial, personal property (FY2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (all Boston neighborhoods) | $12.40 | $26.96 |
| Arlington | $10.67 | $10.67 |
| Belmont | $11.51 | $11.51 |
| Brookline | $10.24 | $17.16 |
| Cambridge | $6.67 | $14.07 |
| Chelsea | $11.48 | $23.79 |
| Dedham | $12.30 | $25.51 |
| Everett | $12.62 | $25.19 |
| Lexington | $12.31 | $24.18 |
| Malden | $11.40 | $17.08 |
| Medford | $8.63 | $16.68 |
| Melrose | $11.47 | $20.61 |
| Milton | $11.81 | $18.12 |
| Natick | $12.17 | $12.17 |
| Needham | $10.83 | $21.09 |
| Newton | $9.69 | $18.06 |
| Quincy | $11.78 | $23.53 |
| Revere | $8.94 | $17.74 |
| Somerville | $10.98 | $18.94 |
| Waltham | $10.32 | $22.18 |
| Watertown | $12.20 | $23.47 |
| Wellesley | $10.17 | $10.17 |
| Weston | $10.88 | $10.88 |
| Winchester | $11.08 | $10.56 |
| Woburn | $9.15 | $21.43 |
Source: Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Tax Rates by Class, fiscal year 2026, data current as of October 8, 2026. Boston’s FY2026 rates also appear on the City of Boston’s How We Tax Your Property page.
Property tax estimate (FY2026 rates)
Per year
$9,920
Per month
$827
Estimated property tax $9,920 per year
Assessed value ÷ 1,000 × $12.40. Before any exemptions (such as Boston's residential exemption). Assessed value is set by the city or town and can differ from the sale price.
How a Massachusetts property tax bill is calculated
The annual tax is the assessed value divided by 1,000, multiplied by the rate:
Assessed value ÷ 1,000 × tax rate = annual tax (before exemptions)
For example, a home assessed at $800,000 in a community with a residential rate of $12.00 would owe $800 × $12.00 = $9,600 for the year. At Boston’s FY2026 rate of $12.40, the same assessment comes to $9,920 before any exemption.
Assessments reflect value as of January 1 before the fiscal year begins. Boston’s Assessing Department explains that the ownership, value and condition of a property on January 1 determine the assessment and who is billed, and that changes after January 1 show up in the following year’s assessment (Assessing Calendar).
Split rates and the residential exemption
Cities and towns can tax residential property at a lower rate than commercial, industrial and personal property. Boston describes this as its property tax classification system. In the table, Arlington, Belmont, Natick, Wellesley and Weston use the same rate for every class in FY2026, while most of the others charge commercial property a higher rate.
Winchester is the exception in the other direction: its FY2026 residential rate ($11.08) is above its $10.56 rate for other classes because, per the Town’s FY2026 tax classification materials, a special act adds 52 cents to the residential rate only.
Some communities also offer a residential exemption under M.G.L. c. 59, § 5C, which excludes part of the value of an owner-occupied principal residence from taxation. The state law makes it a local option, capped at 35% of the average assessed value of residential parcels in the community. Boston, Cambridge, Brookline, Somerville, Everett, Malden, Waltham and Watertown are among the communities on this list whose official sites describe one. Somerville’s Mayor and City Council decide each December whether to adopt it for the coming fiscal year, so confirm with the local assessor. Read our guide to the Boston residential exemption for who qualifies and how to apply.
Proposition 2½ basics
Proposition 2½, passed by Massachusetts voters in 1980, limits property taxes in two ways, according to boston.gov:
- Levy ceiling: a community’s total property tax levy can’t exceed 2½% of the full cash value of all its taxable property.
- Levy limit: the levy can’t grow more than 2½% from one year to the next, with exceptions for new growth and for overrides and exclusions approved by voters.
When bills arrive in Boston
Boston bills quarterly, with payments due August 1, November 1, February 1 and May 1 (the following Monday when the 1st is a weekend), per the City’s real estate tax payment page. The first two bills are preliminary estimates based on the prior year’s taxes. The third-quarter bill, typically issued in late December, reflects the actual value and the new fiscal year’s rate. Other communities set their own billing schedules, so check with the local collector.
Rates change every year
Each community sets a new rate every fiscal year once its budget and values are final, and the DLS certifies it.
Your closing attorney will also prorate the current bill between buyer and seller at closing; our closing costs guide covers that adjustment.
If you’re weighing homes in more than one community and want help comparing them, start a search with us or get in touch.