What dictates where you will decide to buy in Massachusetts? Employment? Land? Schools? Crime rate? Tax rate?

Massachusetts Property Tax Rates vary from municipality to municipality

We're talking property tax rates in this post. You know, the little extra you pay in your mortgage each month, or maybe your property is paid off and you get the quarterly bill.

What is property tax and where does the money go?

Property tax is an assessment on the ownership of real and personal property. An owner’s property tax is based on the assessment, which is the full and fair cash value of the property.

Local governments use property tax revenue to fund public services, which might include things like: 

• Public schools
• Public libraries
• Road maintenance
• Emergency services 

Each municipality allocates tax revenue differently, so the exact way property taxes are used varies. -capitalone.com

Your actual tax bill can fluctuate a bit depending on the value of your home and of course, the tax rate.

10 Towns With The Highest Property Tax Rates In Massachusetts

1. Longmeadow. (Hampden County) RATE: $20.68

Massachusetts communities that pay the highest effective property tax rates are Longmeadow ($20.68 per $1,000)

A major reason why Longmeadow is the perennial leader in tax rate in Massachusetts is the lack of appreciation in real estate property values as compared to the eastern part of the state. 

Perhaps the construction of the East - West rail system from Springfield to Boston as championed by Senator Eric Lesser would increase the demand for housing in Western Massachusetts and increase Longmeadow's property values. -longmeadowbuzz

2. Heath (Franklin County) RATE: $22.88

3. Wendell (Franklin County) RATE: $21.41

4. Plainfield (Hampshire) RATE: $20.72

5. Charlemont (Franklin County) RATE: $20.63

6. Westhampton RATE: $20.13

7. Warwick RATE: $20.11

8. Amherst RATE: $20.10

9.Greenfield RATE: $19.65

10. Williamsburg RATE: $19.64

What Town Has The Lowest Tax Rate In Massachusetts?

Edgartown (Martha's Vineyard) - boasting a rate of $2.52 per $1,000.

Hancock (Berkshire County) - is very low as well, at $2.68 per $1000.

This post is about Massachusetts' highest tax rate which doesn't necessarily equate to the highest tax bill.

The combination of your city or town's tax rate and your home's actual value will determine what you pay.