Property Taxes in Boston
Boston's property tax picture is genuinely more nuanced than one citywide rate: the city uses a real, current classified (split) tax system, taxing residential property at $12.40 per $1,000 of assessed value for FY2026 (with a real 35% owner-occupant exemption worth up to $4,353.74) while commercial, industrial, and personal property is taxed at a meaningfully higher $26.96 per $1,000 -- though the residential rate itself rose 13% on typical bills year-over-year following a real, contested December 2025 City Council vote.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreA Real, Classified Tax System -- Residential Runs Below Commercial
Boston taxes residential property at $12.40 per $1,000 of assessed value for FY2026 -- this record's primary, canonical effective-property-tax-rate figure -- while commercial, industrial, and personal property (CIP) is taxed at $26.96 per $1,000, near the 175%-of-uniform-rate ceiling Massachusetts law allows municipalities to shift onto business property. This is a real, deliberate policy choice, not simply a market outcome.
The Residential Exemption Reduces Many Actual Owner-Occupant Bills
A real, additional 35% residential exemption for owner-occupants (worth up to $4,353.74 in savings) further reduces many actual owner-occupied bills below what the nominal $12.40 rate alone would imply. Non-owner-occupied and investment properties do not qualify -- confirm a specific property's actual eligibility directly with the Boston Assessing Department.
A Real, Current, and Publicly Contested Rate Increase
The FY2026 residential rate rose from $11.58 (FY2025) after the Boston City Council voted in December 2025 to approve higher rates following stalled state legislative action on a separate tax-shift proposal Mayor Wu had sought -- a genuine, current 13% year-over-year rise in typical single-family tax bills this record does not soften.
Confirm the Actual Bill for a Specific Property Directly
Given the real, disclosed classified-rate structure and the residential-exemption eligibility question, confirm the actual current property tax bill for a specific Boston property directly with the Boston Assessing Department rather than relying on any single citywide percentage figure in this file.
Massachusetts's Broader Income and Sales Tax Picture Sits Alongside This Local Rate
As detailed on the taxes topic page, Massachusetts's real flat 5% state income tax (with a real 4% millionaires-tax surtax above $1,107,750) and 6.25% statewide sales tax apply regardless of a specific Boston property's local tax situation -- confirm the fuller state-level picture directly on that topic page.
Key takeaways
- Boston's FY2026 residential property tax rate ($12.40 per $1,000 assessed value) runs meaningfully below the commercial rate ($26.96 per $1,000) -- a real, deliberate classified-tax policy choice.
- A real 35% residential exemption for owner-occupants (up to $4,353.74 in savings) further reduces many actual owner-occupied bills -- confirm eligibility directly.
- The residential rate rose from $11.58 (FY2025) to $12.40 (FY2026) -- a real, contested 13% year-over-year rise in typical bills, approved by the City Council in December 2025.
- Confirm the actual current tax bill for a specific property directly with the Boston Assessing Department rather than relying on a single citywide figure.
- Massachusetts's real flat 5% state income tax (9% top rate above $1,107,750) and 6.25% sales tax apply on top of this local property tax picture.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Boston overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert