Property tax in Worcester County, Massachusetts
The median property tax bill in Worcester County, Massachusetts is $5,438 a year, which is about 1.28% of the county's median home value of $423,700. That effective rate is higher than the typical Massachusetts county (1.06%) and higher than the national median (0.81%). These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2024); your own bill depends on your home's assessed value and any exemptions.
Estimate the property tax on a home in Worcester County
Enter a home's market value for a ballpark at Worcester County's average effective rate of 1.28% (Census). The real bill depends on the home's assessed value, the millage where it sits and any exemptions.
Estimated property tax: $5,423 / year
Property tax in Worcester County at a glance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median annual property tax | $5,438 |
| Median home value | $423,700 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.28% |
| Typical Massachusetts county rate | 1.06% |
| National median county rate | 0.81% |
Effective rate = median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
How does Worcester County compare in Massachusetts?
Among Massachusetts's 14 counties, Worcester County has the 5th highest effective property-tax rate: 4 rank higher and 9 rank lower. That is on the higher side for Massachusetts. Nationally, it ranks 621st of 3135 US counties by effective rate. See every Massachusetts county ranked.
How much do homeowners in Worcester County actually pay?
The median is only the middle bill. Across Worcester County's 220,916 owner-occupied homes, 84.3% pay $3,000 or more a year in property tax, 90.8% pay at least $2,000, and 1.8% pay under $800. Another 2.4% report paying no property tax at all, which usually means an exemption covers the whole bill.
| Annual bill | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under $800 | 4,061 | 1.8% |
| $800 to $1,499 | 5,843 | 2.6% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 5,161 | 2.3% |
| $2,000 to $2,999 | 14,409 | 6.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 186,130 | 84.3% |
| No property tax paid | 5,312 | 2.4% |
Owners with a mortgage pay a median of $5,456 and owners without one pay $5,398. That is within 10% either way, so in Worcester County paying off the house does not go with a noticeably different bill. Census table B25103.
How does the Worcester County property tax bill compare with local incomes?
The median property tax bill of $5,438 is about 4.3% of the median income of Worcester County homeowner households, $126,351 a year. That compares two middles, so a retiree in a long-held home can pay a far larger share. 65.8% of Worcester County's occupied homes are lived in by their owners; renters pay property tax too, just folded into rent.
Have property taxes gone up in Worcester County?
Yes. The median bill went from $4,204 in 2015-2019 to $5,438 in 2020-2024, a 29.4% rise. Over the same span the median home value moved 51%, from $280,600 to $423,700. Bills rose more slowly than values, which is what assessment caps and falling millage rates do: the county is taxing a smaller share of each home's worth.
Two Census ACS 5-year periods with no survey years in common, in each period's own dollars. A change counts only if it exceeds the combined 90% margin of error.
Property tax in counties next to Worcester County
Worcester County borders 9 counties, 4 of them across the state line.
| County | Effective rate | Median bill | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheshire County, NH | 2.16% | $6,048 | $280,100 |
| Hillsborough County, NH | 1.66% | $6,999 | $421,100 |
| Hampden County, MA | 1.49% | $4,455 | $298,800 |
| Franklin County, MA | 1.43% | $4,720 | $329,000 |
| Hampshire County, MA | 1.43% | $5,589 | $390,300 |
| Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 1.42% | $4,375 | $307,600 |
| Worcester County, MA (this county) | 1.28% | $5,438 | $423,700 |
| Providence County, RI | 1.25% | $4,683 | $373,600 |
| Norfolk County, MA | 1.06% | $7,261 | $683,900 |
| Middlesex County, MA | 1.03% | $7,501 | $727,800 |
How is a home assessed in Worcester County?
Massachusetts assesses homes at 100% of market value in every county, Worcester County included. How Massachusetts assesses and reappraises homes.
Is there a homestead exemption in Worcester County?
Not statewide. A Massachusetts community may adopt a residential exemption of up to 35% of the average residential assessed value on a principal residence; the homestead declaration protects equity from creditors and is not a tax break. That is the Massachusetts rule, and it applies in Worcester County. Massachusetts's exemptions and relief programs in full.
When are property taxes due in Worcester County?
Massachusetts communities use one of three billing systems. On quarterly billing, installments are due August 1, November 1, February 1 and May 1. On semi-annual preliminary billing, the preliminary bill is due October 1 (or November 1, or 30 days after mailing if later, when it is mailed after August 1) and the actual bill is due April 1. On standard semi-annual billing, the first half is due November 1 and the rest May 1; if the bill is mailed after October 1, payment is due 30 days after mailing instead. Check which system your city or town uses.
Massachusetts splits the bill into 4 installments. That is the Massachusetts rule. Worcester County issues and collects the bill, so the dates printed on your statement are the ones that bind you.
How to appeal your Worcester County property assessment
You contest the assessed value with the Board of Assessors, then the Appellate Tax Board. The filing deadline is typically the first-installment payment due date (February 1 where billing is quarterly). That is the Massachusetts rule; Worcester County sets the exact dates and forms. The Massachusetts appeal process step by step.
Massachusetts rules from primary state sources, reviewed September 7, 2026; sources on the Massachusetts page.
Work out your own numbers
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How much house can I afford?
Your income, debts and down payment against the 28/36 rule lenders actually use, with Worcester County's tax rate to hand.
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Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment with principal, interest, tax and insurance, plus what an extra payment saves you.
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Massachusetts income tax
Brackets, standard deduction and what Massachusetts actually taxes.
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Sales tax in Worcester County
The other local tax: combined state and local rate for this county.
Sources
- Median real estate taxes paid and median home value for Worcester County, Massachusetts: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020-2024), tables B25103, B25077, B25102, B25119 and B25003; the five-year comparison uses the 2015-2019 estimates. Neighboring counties: Census county adjacency file.