Massachusetts City Property Tax Records

Each city in Massachusetts has its own Board of Assessors that handles property tax assessment, billing, and exemption applications. Select a city below to find local assessor contact information, property search tools, and guidance on accessing property tax records in that city.

Finding City Property Tax Records in Massachusetts

Cities in Massachusetts manage their own property tax systems. Each city has a Board of Assessors that assesses all real and personal property within the city. Property must be assessed at 100% fair cash value under state law. The assessors set a tax rate each year, which the Department of Revenue's Division of Local Services must approve before bills go out. Quarterly bills are the standard in most cities, due August 1, November 1, February 1, and May 1.

To search property tax records for a specific city, the fastest option is the Massachusetts Interactive Property Map from MassGIS. This free statewide tool displays parcel boundaries and shows assessed values, owner names, year built, living area, property use codes, and last sale data for all parcels in every Massachusetts city and town. You can search by address or parcel ID and download data to CSV. Most cities also run their own online assessment databases that let you search within city limits and often show more detailed or current data than the statewide map.

Several large Massachusetts cities offer a residential exemption program that reduces the taxable value of owner-occupied primary residences. Cities that use this option include Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, Malden, Waltham, and Everett. If you own and live in a home in one of these cities, check with the local assessor about eligibility. The deadline to apply is typically April 1 each year.

For deed copies and recorded land documents, MassLandRecords.com provides free access organized by county registry district. This is useful when you need to verify ownership history or check for liens before searching the assessor's database for tax information.

Note: Each city's assessor office sets its own hours and processes for in-person record requests. Call ahead before visiting, especially if you need certified copies or information about a specific parcel that may not be in the online database.

Major Massachusetts Cities

Select a city below for local assessor contact information, property tax search tools, exemption programs, and records access guidance specific to that city.