What Town in MA Has the Highest Tax Rate?
No town in Massachusetts charges a local income tax. The state obtains a single personal income tax system across all borders. No matter if you live in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, or anywhere else in the state — you do not pay a separate municipal income tax. The city or town doesn’t add local income tax rates on top of the state requirements.
Why is the answer no?
State law dictates the Massachusetts personal income tax — not individual cities or towns. For the 2025 tax year, the Commonwealth charges a 5.0% tax on most taxable income. Furthermore, there is also a 4% surtax on taxable income over $1,083,150. Moving from a town to another won’t change the income tax rate.
Property taxes
Searchers actually mean property tax instead of income tax when looking for the highest tax rate. At this point, the specific location is vital. Massachusetts cities & towns establish their own property tax rates locally. In accordance with the recent Division of Local Services data, Westhampton charged the highest residential property tax rate for FY2026 at $20.35 per $1,000 of assessed value.
| Taxation | Authority | Does it change by town? |
|---|---|---|
| Personal income tax | Massachusetts | No |
| Property tax | City or town | Yes |
What should Boston-area filers focus on?
The major problem points are generally residency, Massachusetts-source income, and capital gains, as well as surtax exposure. A move into or out of the state, remote work, pass-through income, or a large one-time gain, all have potential to influence the filing result far more than the name of the town.
Does one town still cost more than another?
Yes. Living in specific towns naturally costs more — but this is due to housing prices & local property tax bills — not a separate town income tax. 2 taxpayers earning the exact same amount manage the exact same Massachusetts personal income tax rules, even if one pays more in real estate taxes.
Dimov Associates is ready to support
If your Massachusetts tax questions cover business financial statements, owner compensation, multi-state records, or documenting a distinct filing position, contact Dimov Associates today. We stand ready to review the amounts, organize the data, and establish full resolution.
