Massachusetts Property Tax Records by County

Massachusetts has 14 counties, but property tax assessment and collection happen at the city and town level. Each of the state's 351 municipalities has its own Board of Assessors with independent authority to assess property and set tax rates, subject to state approval. Select a county below to find property tax records, local assessor offices, and assessment search tools for that area.

How Massachusetts Property Tax Assessment Works

Property taxes in Massachusetts are not run at the county level. This is one of the key things that makes the state's system different from most others in the country. Each of the 351 cities and towns has its own Board of Assessors. These boards assess all real and personal property within their jurisdiction, set the local tax rate after DOR approval, and maintain their own property records databases. When you search for Massachusetts property tax records, you are really searching the records of a specific city or town.

The Massachusetts Department of Revenue's Division of Local Services certifies each municipality's assessment program and approves tax rates before bills go out. The DLS also maintains the Municipal Databank, which tracks tax rates, assessed values, and Proposition 2½ data for all 351 communities going back decades. You can access this data at no cost through the DLS Gateway portal.

Counties in Massachusetts still serve as registry districts for recorded land documents. Each county has a Registry of Deeds that keeps copies of deeds, mortgages, and other recorded instruments. These are separate from property tax records. For deed copies, visit MassLandRecords.com, which provides free access to recorded documents by county. For assessment and tax bill records, you need to contact the assessor in the specific city or town where the property is located.

The Massachusetts Interactive Property Map from MassGIS is the best single tool for searching property records across county lines. It covers all 351 communities and shows assessed values, owner information, parcel boundaries, and sale history. Access is free and requires no account.

Note: If you need to find a specific assessor's office, the local assessors directory on mass.gov lists contact information for every Board of Assessors in the state, organized by municipality.

All 14 Massachusetts Counties

Select a county below to view property tax records, local assessor information, and search tools for cities and towns in that county.

Statewide Property Tax Search Resources

Several free tools let you search Massachusetts property tax data without contacting a local office first. The Massachusetts Interactive Property Map lets you search by address or parcel ID and see assessed values, owner names, year built, living area, and sale history for any parcel across all 351 communities. This tool works across county boundaries, so you can compare properties in different towns easily.

For tax rate comparisons across counties, the DLS property tax data and statistics page has downloadable reports on residential and commercial tax rates, average single-family bills, and levy data for every Massachusetts city and town. The average single-family tax bill statewide was $7,059 in 2023, though bills vary widely by community. Tax rates in some communities run well below $10 per $1,000 of value, while others exceed $20 per $1,000.

If your assessment seems too high, you can file Form ABT with your local Board of Assessors. The deadline is April 1 or three months after the actual tax bills are mailed, whichever is later. If the board denies your application, you can appeal to the Appellate Tax Board in Boston. The ATB hears appeals from all 14 Massachusetts counties and all 351 municipalities.