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County tax profile · 2026 · Census ACS + IRS data

Property Tax & Income in Bristol County, Massachusetts

Bristol County has an effective property tax rate of 1.06%. On the median home value of $451,200, that's roughly $4,807 per year. Median household income is $85,625.

Effective Property Tax Rate1
1.06%
median tax $4,807 ÷ median home $451,200
Median Home Value1
$451,200
owner-occupied
Median Household Income1
$85,625
per-capita $44,757
Est. Annual Tax on Median Home1
$4,807
at 1.06% effective rate

What you'll pay, at a glance

Property taxes are the largest local tax most homeowners pay. The effective rate measures the real tax bill as a share of home value — a more useful number than the nominal “mill rate,” because assessment practices vary county to county.

MetricBristol CountyMassachusetts (state context)
Effective property tax rate11.06%1.06%
Median home value1$451,200—
State income tax3top rate 5.00%top rate 5.00%
State sales tax36.25% combined6.25% combined

How this is calculated

The effective property tax rate is the median real-estate tax bill divided by the median home value — both for owner-occupied homes, from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-year estimates)1. Median income is also from the ACS1. Federal and state income-tax figures use IRS2 and Tax Foundation3 data.

About Bristol County, MA

For anyone weighing a move to Bristol County, the housing math hinges on two figures: a median home value of $451,200 and an annual property tax bill of $4,807. That works out to an effective rate of 1.065%, essentially matching Massachusetts as a whole at 1.063% and ranking seventh among the state's fourteen counties. Buyers relocating from most other parts of the country will notice the difference — the national median sits at 0.794%, so the same priced home would carry a noticeably smaller tax bill elsewhere. Against a median household income of $85,625, the yearly levy equals roughly one dollar in every eighteen earned, though per-capita income of $44,757 tells a more varied story across communities like New Bedford and Fall River. Whether that tradeoff suits you depends on how much you value the region's housing stock against the recurring cost of owning it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the property tax rate in Bristol County, MA?
The effective rate is 1.06% — meaning the median tax bill equals about 1.06% of the median home value.
How much are property taxes on a median home?
On the median home ($451,200), the estimated annual bill is about $4,807.
Is Bristol County's rate high or low?
Compare it to the state median of 1.06% and the national average near 1.1%.
How does the effective rate differ from my mill rate?
A mill rate is the nominal levy per $1,000 of assessed value. The effective rate reflects what you actually pay after exemptions and assessments — it's the median tax bill as a share of median home value, so it better predicts your real cost.
Will a reassessment raise my tax bill?
Not necessarily. If your home's assessed value rises, your bill can go up, but only if the mill rate and exemptions stay flat. Contact the Bristol County assessor's office to review your current assessment.
Can I appeal my property tax assessment?
Yes. Most counties allow an appeal when you believe the assessed value exceeds the market value. File with the Bristol County assessor within the local deadline, typically with comparable sales as evidence.
Sources
[1] U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2023) — Median home value (B25077), median real-estate taxes (B25103), median household income (B19013), per-capita income (B19301).
[2] IRS — Statistics of Income — County income, AGI, and real-estate taxes paid.
[3] Tax Foundation — State income, sales, corporate, and estate/inheritance tax rates.