2012 Massachusetts Tax Rates Residential Housing and Commercial by City/Town

This list is now outdated.  The updated tax rates can be reached by clicking here.

Here's an updated to the latest tax rates for communities and towns in Massachusetts. This version is sorted by Residential Tax Rates, from highest to lowest. (Need basic information for how tax rates work? Try here).

Some notes:

• The vast majority of the tax rates are approved by the state by January 1st.  I'll repost, with the rates alphabetical by town, in January to see the updated rates.
• Looking for tax friendly towns?  Many of the towns on Cape Cod - with their large numbers of vacation housing - have surprisingly low rates.
• The midpoint this year for tax rates is $14.2 for every thousand.
• If your rate is between  12.6  and  15.6, I would say you are in the "typical" range of tax rates.  About 55% of all the towns are in that range.
• Worried about a town's tax rate?  Falling commercial property values in some tax friendly towns have pushed up residential tax rates.  It's worth researching a community to see if historically their tax rate is "friendly" - when the commercial property values bounce back, the rates will lower on the residential properties. Westborough - near the top of the chart at 19+, is one town where I expect the rates to decline substantially in the coming years.
• Looking for more?  Try here.

Community Name	Residential Tax Rate	Commercial Tax Rate	Industrial Tax Rate	Date Tax Rate Approved
Sharon	20.11	20.11	20.11	12/20/11
Heath	19.84	19.84	19.84	12/19/11
Springfield	19.83	39.99	39.99	12/19/11
Bolton	19.78	19.78	19.78	12/13/11
Amherst	19.74	19.74	19.74	12/09/11
Longmeadow	19.68	19.68	19.68	12/13/11
Pelham	19.64	19.64	19.64	12/08/11
Shutesbury	19.56	19.56	19.56	12/09/11
Westborough	19.21	19.21	19.21	12/06/11
Amesbury	19.13	19.13	19.13	12/14/11
Greenfield	19.01	19.01	19.01	11/28/11
Wayland	19.01	19.01	19.01	12/13/11
Chester	18.96	18.96	18.96	12/06/11
Wendell	18.94	18.94	18.94	02/08/12
Longmeadow	18.85	18.85	18.85	10/11/11
Acton	18.55	18.55	18.55	12/22/11
Maynard	18.45	27.17	27.17	12/16/11
Russell	18.40	18.40	18.40	12/19/11
Ashburnham	18.34	18.34	18.34	12/21/11
Holliston	18.32	18.32	18.32	12/13/11
Sherborn	18.22	18.22	18.22	09/06/11
Holbrook	18.21	35.13	35.13	12/12/11
Paxton	18.16	18.16	18.16	10/28/11
Wilbraham	18.05	18.05	18.05	12/01/11
Swampscott	17.99	33.41	33.41	12/02/11
Lancaster	17.94	17.94	17.94	12/15/11
Stow	17.90	17.90	17.90	11/18/11
Wenham	17.89	17.89	17.89	12/21/11
Boxborough	17.87	17.87	17.87	11/22/11
Southbridge	17.83	17.83	17.83	12/09/11
Leverett	17.77	17.77	17.77	12/12/11
Orange	17.69	17.69	17.69	12/01/11
Sturbridge	17.63	17.63	17.63	09/21/11
Fitchburg	17.62	23.32	23.32	10/18/11
Sudbury	17.60	22.95	22.95	12/06/11
Chelmsford	17.49	17.49	17.49	11/28/11
Medway	17.48	17.48	17.48	11/29/11
Plainfield	17.48	17.48	17.48	05/03/12
Dalton	17.41	17.41	17.41	11/29/11
Hamilton	17.32	17.32	17.32	12/02/11
Adams	17.26	20.47	20.47	09/19/11
West Springfield	17.25	35.64	35.64	12/15/11
Westminster	17.24	17.24	17.24	11/30/11
Carlisle	17.14	17.14	17.14	10/28/11
Lanesborough	17.08	17.08	17.08	12/20/11
Hopkinton	17.05	17.05	17.05	12/07/11
Boylston	17.02	17.02	17.02	11/30/11
Ludlow	16.98	16.98	16.98	12/23/11
Worcester	16.98	29.07	29.07	05/24/12
Townsend	16.96	16.96	16.96	12/08/11
Framingham	16.94	38.05	38.05	12/21/11
Blackstone	16.92	16.92	16.92	12/15/11
Hampden	16.87	16.87	16.87	12/21/11
Holyoke	16.85	38.53	38.53	12/27/11
Princeton	16.84	16.84	16.84	12/20/11
Lunenburg	16.83	16.83	16.83	12/09/11
West Boylston	16.81	16.81	16.81	12/02/11
Halifax	16.80	16.80	16.80	09/14/11
Leominster	16.72	16.72	16.72	11/30/11
Leyden	16.68	16.68	16.68	12/16/11
Gardner	16.67	16.67	16.67	12/28/11
Ashland	16.57	16.57	16.57	12/14/11
Belchertown	16.56	16.56	16.56	11/30/11
Savoy	16.54	16.54	16.54	12/14/11
Holden	16.53	16.53	16.53	11/18/11
Norfolk	16.47	16.47	16.47	12/15/11
Brookfield	16.45	16.45	16.45	12/20/11
Warwick	16.43	16.43	16.43	12/16/11
Ashby	16.42	16.42	16.42	12/14/11
Westhampton	16.40	16.40	16.40	11/28/11
Hawley	16.30	16.30	0.00	12/15/11
Lynn	16.28	32.82	32.82	12/16/11
Plympton	16.25	16.25	16.25	09/21/11
Harvard	16.24	16.24	16.24	12/20/11
Warren	16.23	16.23	16.23	12/01/11
Milford	16.17	27.84	27.84	11/18/11
Southborough	16.14	16.14	16.14	11/03/11
Brockton	16.14	29.96	29.96	12/14/11
Westfield	16.13	30.36	30.36	12/06/11
Colrain	16.12	16.12	16.12	09/21/11
Charlemont	16.11	16.11	16.11	12/07/11
Pittsfield	16.11	32.85	32.85	12/16/11
Bernardston	16.08	16.08	16.08	10/28/11
Groton	16.08	16.08	16.08	11/22/11
Littleton	16.08	25.74	25.74	12/09/11
Auburn	16.05	23.93	23.93	12/01/11
Randolph	16.03	29.12	29.12	12/27/11
Montague	15.97	23.90	23.90	11/16/11
Chesterfield	15.97	15.97	15.97	12/23/11
New Braintree	15.96	15.96	15.96	12/15/11
Wales	15.95	15.95	15.95	11/18/11
Ware	15.89	15.89	15.89	12/06/11
Granby	15.87	15.87	15.87	12/09/11
Whately"	15.85	15.85	15.85	12/02/11
Rockland"	15.81	15.81	15.81	12/08/11
Middlefield"	15.78	15.78	15.78	12/02/11
Medfield"	15.73	15.73	15.73	12/06/11
Sterling"	15.65	15.65	15.65	12/20/11
East Bridgewater"	15.63	15.63	15.63	11/10/11
Salem"	15.63	29.81	29.81	12/19/11
Palmer"	15.61	15.61	15.61	12/06/11
Westford"	15.55	15.79	15.79	11/15/11
Everett"	15.52	41.66	41.66	12/12/11
Petersham"	15.51	15.51	15.51	10/28/11
Hudson"	15.51	29.55	29.55	12/09/11
Williamsburg"	15.49	15.49	15.49	11/28/11
Millis"	15.49	15.49	15.49	12/07/11
Northborough"	15.49	15.49	15.49	12/20/11
Carver"	15.47	21.43	21.43	12/14/11
Topsfield"	15.45	15.45	15.45	12/05/11
Dedham"	15.43	32.20	32.20	12/06/11
Millbury"	15.42	15.42	15.42	12/07/11
Peru"	15.40	15.40	15.40	09/22/11
Athol"	15.38	15.38	15.38	12/13/11
Abington"	15.36	15.36	15.36	11/23/11
West Bridgewater"	15.36	24.65	24.65	12/07/11
Kingston"	15.33	15.33	15.33	11/08/11
Rutland"	15.30	15.30	15.30	12/14/11
Tyngsborough"	15.29	15.29	15.29	12/06/11
Clinton"	15.28	29.77	29.77	12/15/11
Merrimac"	15.24	15.24	15.24	11/21/11
Bedford"	15.21	33.21	33.21	12/13/11
Holland"	15.18	15.18	15.18	10/18/11
Huntington"	15.12	15.12	15.12	11/07/11
Winchendon"	15.11	15.11	15.11	12/15/11
Bridgewater"	15.11	15.11	15.11	12/15/11
Uxbridge"	15.10	15.10	15.10	12/01/11
Revere"	15.07	30.47	30.47	12/01/11
Devens"	15.04	17.12	17.12	06/28/12
Upton"	15.03	15.03	15.03	11/28/11
Hanover"	15.00	15.74	15.74	11/17/11
Shirley"	14.98	14.98	14.98	12/07/11
Lexington"	14.97	28.45	28.45	12/12/11
Monson"	14.96	14.96	14.96	11/28/11
Easton"	14.95	14.95	14.95	12/13/11
Chicopee"	14.93	30.83	30.83	10/28/11
Tewksbury"	14.93	25.05	25.05	12/15/11
Dunstable"	14.88	14.88	14.88	12/07/11
Hopedale"	14.86	23.86	23.86	12/06/11
West Newbury"	14.83	14.83	14.83	12/13/11
North Adams"	14.82	32.83	32.83	12/09/11
Marlborough"	14.80	29.04	29.04	12/13/11
Lowell"	14.77	30.89	30.89	12/20/11
Haverhill"	14.76	24.68	24.68	12/16/11
South Hadley"	14.73	14.73	14.73	12/14/11
Ashfield"	14.69	14.69	14.69	12/15/11
Whitman"	14.62	14.62	14.62	12/01/11
Phillipston"	14.62	14.62	14.62	12/09/11
Buckland"	14.60	14.60	14.60	10/28/11
Templeton"	14.60	14.60	14.60	11/30/11
Gill"	14.55	14.55	14.55	12/22/11
Sutton"	14.53	14.53	14.53	11/29/11
Stoughton"	14.50	25.24	25.24	10/12/11
Winthrop"	14.49	14.49	14.49	12/28/11
Westwood"	14.48	26.55	26.55	12/05/11
Brimfield"	14.48	14.48	14.48	12/16/11
Berlin"	14.47	17.47	17.47	09/21/11
Wrentham"	14.43	17.06	17.06	12/07/11
Mendon"	14.42	14.42	14.42	11/22/11
Barre"	14.42	14.42	14.42	11/28/11
Watertown"	14.40	26.64	26.64	11/30/11
Agawam"	14.40	28.46	28.46	12/08/11
Essex"	14.39	14.39	14.39	12/15/11
Montgomery"	14.39	14.39	14.39	12/23/11
North Reading"	14.38	14.38	14.38	11/29/11
Milton"	14.35	21.99	21.99	12/02/11
Malden"	14.33	24.84	24.84	12/15/11
Mansfield"	14.29	18.50	18.50	12/02/11
Lawrence"	14.29	31.81	31.81	12/20/11
Lynnfield"	14.26	15.56	15.56	12/06/11
Raynham"	14.24	19.85	19.85	12/02/11
Norwell"	14.24	14.24	14.24	12/15/11
Southwick"	14.23	14.23	14.23	10/28/11
East Brookfield"	14.22	14.22	14.22	10/05/11
Conway"	14.21	14.21	14.21	10/19/11
Douglas"	14.18	14.18	14.18	11/22/11
Reading"	14.15	14.15	14.15	11/21/11
Andover"	14.15	23.54	23.54	12/13/11
Walpole"	14.14	18.40	18.40	12/09/11
Grafton"	14.13	14.13	14.13	11/18/11
Northfield"	14.10	14.10	14.10	12/01/11
Boxford"	14.09	14.09	14.09	12/16/11
Bellingham"	14.05	16.08	16.08	12/16/11
Southampton"	14.01	14.01	14.01	12/27/11
Plainville"	13.99	13.99	13.99	12/08/11
Williamstown"	13.98	13.98	13.98	09/27/11
Danvers"	13.93	19.38	19.38	11/21/11
Rowley"	13.92	13.92	13.92	12/13/11
North Andover"	13.92	19.16	19.16	12/14/11
Billerica"	13.92	31.93	31.93	12/15/11
Natick"	13.91	13.91	13.91	11/29/11
Pembroke"	13.91	13.91	13.91	12/06/11
Oxford"	13.89	13.89	13.89	04/03/12
Blandford"	13.88	13.88	13.88	12/21/11
Plymouth"	13.84	13.84	13.84	03/15/12
Lincoln"	13.81	18.17	18.17	09/14/11
Chelsea"	13.81	32.92	32.92	12/13/11
Duxbury"	13.79	13.79	13.79	11/30/11
New Bedford"	13.76	28.44	28.44	12/19/11
Quincy"	13.75	28.66	28.66	12/22/11
Middleborough"	13.74	14.61	14.61	11/07/11
Franklin"	13.73	13.73	13.73	12/01/11
Foxborough"	13.73	14.86	14.86	12/07/11
Worthington"	13.69	13.69	13.69	12/13/11
Lee"	13.67	13.67	13.67	11/03/11
Dighton"	13.67	26.06	26.06	12/22/11
Arlington"	13.66	13.66	13.66	12/15/11
Pepperell"	13.59	13.59	13.59	12/08/11
Concord"	13.58	13.58	13.58	11/30/11
Avon"	13.58	28.82	28.82	12/19/11
Norton"	13.54	13.54	13.54	12/08/11
North Brookfield"	13.50	13.50	13.50	11/21/11
Goshen"	13.47	13.47	13.47	11/30/11
New Salem"	13.40	16.02	16.02	01/24/12
Waltham"	13.35	31.27	31.27	12/02/11
Belmont"	13.35	13.35	13.35	12/07/11
Northampton"	13.35	13.35	13.35	12/16/11
Hardwick"	13.32	13.32	13.32	12/16/11
Easthampton"	13.27	13.27	13.27	11/09/11
Leicester"	13.18	13.18	13.18	12/07/11
Millville"	13.17	13.17	13.17	12/07/11
Great Barrington"	13.12	13.12	13.12	08/23/11
Washington"	13.11	13.11	13.11	03/02/12
Ayer"	13.10	27.20	27.20	12/14/11
Georgetown"	13.09	13.09	13.09	11/29/11
Somerville"	13.09	21.85	21.85	12/06/11
Hull"	13.06	13.06	0.00	12/07/11
Boston"	13.04	31.92	31.92	12/12/11
Methuen"	13.04	23.04	23.04	12/23/11
Groveland"	12.98	12.98	12.98	12/12/11
Sunderland"	12.97	12.97	12.97	12/06/11
Beverly"	12.97	23.59	23.59	12/22/11
Dracut"	12.93	12.93	12.93	12/01/11
South Shore Tri-Town"	12.89	23.89	0.00	02/28/12
Attleboro"	12.88	20.30	20.30	12/09/11
Sheffield"	12.84	12.84	12.84	12/02/11
Deerfield"	12.82	12.82	12.82	11/15/11
Middleton"	12.81	12.81	12.81	12/14/11
Northbridge"	12.81	12.81	12.81	12/21/11
Rochester"	12.80	12.80	12.80	10/27/11
Newburyport"	12.80	12.80	12.80	12/09/11
Shelburne"	12.78	12.78	12.78	11/01/11
Ipswich"	12.77	12.77	12.77	12/09/11
Melrose"	12.76	19.47	19.47	11/30/11
Sandwich"	12.74	12.74	12.74	12/16/11
Hanson"	12.73	12.73	12.73	09/19/11
Hubbardston"	12.70	12.70	12.70	12/06/11
Somerset"	12.69	24.20	24.20	12/21/11
Stoneham"	12.61	20.25	20.25	12/06/11
Winchester"	12.55	11.77	11.77	12/07/11
Taunton"	12.47	27.62	27.62	11/23/11
Acushnet"	12.47	15.23	15.23	12/15/11
Scituate"	12.34	12.34	12.34	12/08/11
Spencer"	12.28	12.28	12.28	11/22/11
Hinsdale"	12.26	12.26	12.26	10/25/11
North Attleborough"	12.23	12.70	12.70	12/06/11
Seekonk"	12.19	24.47	24.47	12/16/11
Gloucester"	12.18	13.01	13.01	12/01/11
Monroe"	12.15	28.88	28.88	02/06/12
Wilmington"	12.14	28.64	28.64	12/02/11
Weymouth"	12.14	20.13	20.13	12/07/11
Freetown"	12.12	19.50	19.50	12/06/11
Weston"	12.11	12.11	12.11	12/16/11
Medford"	12.03	23.72	23.72	12/21/11
Granville"	12.02	12.02	12.02	10/24/11
Charlton"	12.00	12.00	12.00	12/08/11
Cohasset"	11.98	11.98	11.98	12/22/11
Dover"	11.92	11.92	11.92	12/12/11
Canton"	11.91	24.23	24.23	11/14/11
Wakefield"	11.90	24.18	24.18	11/22/11
Hingham"	11.89	11.89	11.89	12/21/11
Mattapoisett"	11.85	11.85	11.85	12/21/11
Lakeville"	11.85	11.85	11.85	12/22/11
Peabody"	11.82	23.43	23.43	11/22/11
Webster"	11.78	18.47	18.47	12/23/11
Marshfield"	11.76	11.76	11.76	12/16/11
West Brookfield"	11.63	11.63	11.63	12/15/11
Windsor"	11.62	11.62	11.62	05/01/12
Berkley"	11.60	11.60	11.60	12/15/11
Burlington"	11.55	30.95	30.95	11/30/11
Clarksburg"	11.53	11.53	11.53	12/22/11
Wellesley"	11.48	11.48	11.48	12/21/11
Brookline"	11.40	18.58	18.58	12/13/11
Oakham"	11.34	11.34	11.34	12/02/11
Swansea"	11.27	22.76	22.76	12/19/11
Newton"	11.17	21.32	21.32	11/23/11
Lenox"	11.17	14.79	14.79	12/12/11
West Stockbridge"	11.12	11.12	11.12	05/14/12
Shrewsbury"	11.11	11.11	11.11	11/30/11
Cummington"	11.09	11.09	11.09	11/18/11
Newbury"	11.07	11.07	11.07	12/08/11
Saugus"	11.04	24.16	24.16	11/23/11
Fall River"	10.98	23.54	23.54	12/23/11
Rehoboth"	10.97	10.97	10.97	12/05/11
Salisbury"	10.97	10.97	10.97	12/20/11
Needham"	10.95	21.50	21.50	12/22/11
Dudley"	10.90	10.90	10.90	11/22/11
Hatfield"	10.73	10.73	10.73	11/18/11
Norwood"	10.58	20.29	20.29	12/16/11
Nahant"	10.55	10.55	10.55	09/23/11
Marblehead"	10.52	10.52	10.52	12/06/11
Braintree"	10.45	23.65	23.65	12/13/11
Woburn"	10.40	26.83	26.83	12/14/11
Fairhaven"	10.27	20.63	20.63	12/14/11
Hadley"	10.22	10.22	10.22	11/21/11
Manchester By The Sea"	10.11	10.11	10.11	11/30/11
Sandisfield"	10.10	10.10	10.10	10/04/11
Rockport"	10.05	10.05	10.05	11/18/11
Marion"	9.71	9.71	9.71	12/12/11
Richmond"	9.70	9.70	9.70	12/02/11
Cheshire"	9.60	9.60	9.60	10/19/11
Becket"	9.51	9.51	9.51	12/08/11
Royalston"	9.46	9.46	9.46	03/26/12
Wareham"	9.37	9.37	9.37	12/28/11
Yarmouth"	9.33	9.33	9.33	10/24/11
Bourne"	9.12	9.12	9.12	12/02/11
Dartmouth"	8.87	13.53	13.53	11/30/11
New Ashford"	8.84	12.53	12.53	05/01/12
New Marlborough"	8.77	8.77	8.77	12/13/11
Mashpee"	8.51	8.51	8.51	12/07/11
Cambridge"	8.48	20.76	20.76	09/27/11
Barnstable"	8.42	7.59	7.59	11/29/11
Florida"	8.25	22.97	22.97	12/23/11
Harwich"	8.12	8.12	8.12	11/28/11
Tisbury"	8.01	7.44	7.44	03/30/12
Egremont"	7.86	7.86	7.86	12/20/11
Falmouth"	7.78	7.78	7.78	11/30/11
Stockbridge"	7.63	7.63	7.63	03/28/12
Erving"	7.51	12.99	12.99	09/21/11
Brewster"	7.44	7.44	7.44	09/23/11
Oak Bluffs"	7.39	7.39	7.39	12/23/11
Provincetown"	7.20	7.20	7.20	12/07/11
Westport"	7.05	7.05	7.05	12/15/11
Otis"	6.78	6.78	6.78	11/29/11
Eastham"	6.35	6.35	6.35	09/09/11
Wellfleet"	6.12	6.12	6.12	09/29/11
Tolland"	6.00	6.00	6.00	10/05/11
Tyringham"	6.00	6.00	0.00	12/13/11
Truro"	5.97	5.97	5.97	09/13/11
Orleans"	5.91	5.91	5.91	11/01/11
Dennis"	5.88	5.88	5.88	11/30/11
Mount Washington"	5.65	5.65	5.65	11/08/11
Monterey"	5.27	5.27	5.27	01/23/12
Rowe"	5.16	11.19	11.19	01/06/12
West Tisbury"	4.92	4.92	4.92	04/23/12
Chatham"	4.45	4.45	4.45	10/31/11
Alford"	4.40	4.40	4.40	09/29/11
Aquinnah"	3.93	3.93	0.00	06/08/12
Nantucket"	3.62	6.47	6.47	10/04/11
Edgartown"	3.43	3.43	3.43	05/24/12
Hancock"	3.26	3.26	3.26	12/22/11
Gosnold"	2.21	2.21	2.21	06/21/12
Chilmark"	2.08	2.08	2.08	06/06/12