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Property Tax Calculator for Cambridge, MA
Local data pre-filled
Property taxes in Cambridge run approximately 1.10% of assessed value. On the median home of $925,000, that's roughly $10,175/year ($848/mo). This is below the national average rate of 1.10%.
✓ Calculator below is pre-filled with Cambridge local data
Data as of · Sources: Zillow, Census ACS, Tax Foundation, Freddie Mac
Massachusetts Financial Snapshot (2026) — Property Tax Calculator
Home value, monthly carrying cost, property tax, and insurance are the four levers for the property tax calculator in Massachusetts.
How the Property Tax Calculator Math Works Under Massachusetts Law
Every real-estate number on this page runs through the same core identity: the monthly principal-and-interest payment on a fully amortizing fixed-rate loan is M = P · r / (1 − (1+r)^(−n)), where P is the loan principal, r is the monthly rate (annual rate / 12), and n is the term in months. For a typical Massachusetts buyer in 2026, P starts from an $620,000 median home value (Zillow ZHVI)[1], minus a standard 20% down payment.
On top of P&I the calculator adds the two Massachusetts-specific carrying costs: property tax at the state effective rate of 1.14%[2] and homeowners insurance at roughly $1,830/year (NAIC state average)[3]. The Freddie Mac PMMS national average 30-year fixed rate (6.30% (Freddie Mac PMMS · week of ))[4] drives the payment curve — Massachusetts rate quotes can move a few basis points around that number depending on lender, loan size, and credit band.
Calc-specific note: Effective rate × assessed value = annual bill. Intra-state county variance can swing ±30% around Massachusetts's headline rate.
Worked example — Massachusetts
On Massachusetts's $620,000 median home, the 1.14% effective rate produces a $7,068 annual bill — roughly $589/month added to PITI. County variance within Massachusetts can push this ±30% depending on mill levies and homestead exemptions.
Local context: Cambridge, MA
Housing economics in Cambridge, MA. The median home value runs 158.4% above the U.S. baseline for Cambridge, MA is $925,000 per Zillow's home-value index. Median rent runs $3,100 a month per Zillow ZORI, a premium over the national $1,850 baseline. Effective property tax sits at 1.10% of assessed value, meaningfully higher than the 0.99% national average tracked by the Tax Foundation.
Income and tax climate. Massachusetts's top marginal state income tax bracket lands at 5.00% — compared to the volume-weighted national average around 4-5%. BEA's Regional Price Parity scores Cambridge, MA at 178.0 (national = 100), meaning a dollar in Cambridge, MA buys 56¢ of national purchasing power.
Local context as of 2026-04-19.
Cambridge versus the U.S. baseline
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | U.S. baseline | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value[zillow] | $925,000 | $358,000 | 158.4% |
| Median monthly rent[zillow] | $3,100 | $1,850 | 67.6% |
| Property tax (effective)[tax-foundation] | 1.10% | 0.99% | 11.1% |
| State top marginal income tax[tax-foundation] | 5.00% | ~4.08% (volume-weighted) | 0.9 pp |
| State cost-of-living index[bea-rpp] | 178.0 | 100.0 | 78.0 pts |
How to use the Property Tax Calculator
Walk through using the Property Tax Calculator with Cambridge, MA-specific defaults pre-loaded from primary sources.
- Enter your Cambridge numbersFill in the property tax inputs. Defaults reflect Cambridge, MA 2026: median home $925,000, median rent $3,100/mo, 1.10% effective property tax.
- Apply the local 2026 inputsThe median home value in Cambridge is $925,000 (Zillow ZHVI), with median monthly rent running $3,100/mo.
- Compare against Cambridge contextMonthly PITI on the $925,000 median home in Cambridge is ~$5,867/mo — vs a $3,100/mo median rent.
How Massachusetts Compares to Neighboring States
| State | Median home | Top inc tax | Prop tax rate | RPP (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts (this page) | $620,000 | 9.00% | 1.14% | 107.7 |
| Connecticut | $395,000 | 6.99% | 1.96% | 104.2 |
| compare to New Hampshire | $475,000 | None | 1.93% | 105.4 |
| compare to New York | $470,000 | 10.90% | 1.72% | 107.8 |
| check Rhode Island | $440,000 | 5.99% | 1.53% | 102.1 |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI[1], state Departments of Revenue / Tax Foundation[2], Tax Foundation property taxes[3], BEA Regional Price Parities[4].
What Changes Your Result in Massachusetts
- Down payment size:Massachusetts's typical down payment is 15.0%according to NAR survey data. Every 5% shift changes the monthly P&I by roughly 5–6% of the headline payment.
- First-time buyer programs:Massachusetts runs state-level first-time buyer programs (DPA, MCC) that can cut effective down payment costs by $5,000–$15,000 for qualifying buyers. See programs block below.
- County-level property tax variance:The state effective rate shown in the snapshot is a statewide weighted average. Within Massachusetts, county rates can swing ±30% around the median, especially in border counties with differing school-district mill levies.
Related Calculations for Massachusetts
- Massachusetts mortgage payment numbers for 2026 — property tax is a line in the PITI payment.
- home appreciation costs in Massachusetts — appreciating basis raises future tax bills.
How Cambridge Compares to the National Average
Understanding how Cambridge stacks up helps you calibrate your financial planning.
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | US Average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $925,000 | $420,800 | +119.8% |
| Median Monthly Rent | $3,100 | $1,713 | +81.0% |
| Median Household Income | $108,500 | $74,580 | +45.5% |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.10% | 1.10% | +0.0% |
| Cost of Living Index | 178 | 100 | +78.0% |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, NAR (2024–2025). Green = favorable for residents; red = less favorable.
Cambridge Financial Snapshot
- Population (Metro)
- 118,000
- Unemployment
- 3.2%
- Avg Commute
- 26 min
- Median Age
- 31.2
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 24.9x
- Annual Property Tax
- $10,175
More Financial Calculators for Cambridge, MA
Property Tax Calculator in Other Massachusetts Cities
Frequently Asked Questions — Cambridge
- Can median-income households afford the median home in Cambridge?
- With a ~$5,867 monthly PITI and $108,500 median income, housing would consume ~64.9% of gross annual income. Qualifying under the 28% DTI rule requires ~$251,443 in annual income. Educational reference only.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Cambridge?
- Cambridge's price-to-rent ratio (24.9x) tilts toward renting — above 20x, buying is generally expensive relative to renting.
- What is the annual property tax bill on the median home in Cambridge?
- Approximately $10,175/yr at the 1.10% effective rate on the $925,000 median home. The national average effective rate is 1.07%.
- What share of median income goes to rent in Cambridge?
- The $3,100/mo median rent represents 34.3% of the $108,500 median household income. The recommended housing cost threshold is 30%; Cambridge exceeds that guideline. Educational reference only.
- How much does commuting cost in Cambridge?
- Average commute time in Cambridge is 26 minutes per ACS. Estimated annual commute cost runs about $4,529. Educational reference only.
- How does the cost of living in Cambridge compare to the national average?
- Cambridge's BEA RPP index is 178, 78% above the national baseline of 100. For a household earning the national median income of $77,540, this translates to ~$60,481/yr in purchasing power difference. Educational reference only.
- What is the median home price in Cambridge, MA?
- The median home price in Cambridge is $925,000 as of 2025–2026.
- What is the average rent in Cambridge?
- The median monthly rent in Cambridge, MA is $3,100.
- Does the property tax replace professional advice?
- No. This calculator gives educational estimates using public Cambridge data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for decisions with material consequences.
Massachusetts State Context
Massachusetts Real Estate Tips
Massachusetts median home price of $585,000 is 39% above the national average — driven by Greater Boston demand.
MassHousing offers down payment assistance up to $50,000 in high-cost areas (ONE Mortgage Program).
Massachusetts' property tax rate of 1.23% is moderate, but high home values mean large absolute tax bills.
Massachusetts has a "super lien" for condo associations — unpaid condo fees take priority over first mortgages for up to 6 months of arrears.
Massachusetts Homebuyer Programs
- ✓MassHousing ONE Mortgage — up to $50,000 DPA, no PMI, for first-time buyers in qualifying communities.
- ✓MassHousing Down Payment Assistance — up to $30,000 in DPA statewide.
- ✓Mass. Housing Partnership SoftSecond — subsidized second mortgage for down payment.
Statewide Massachusetts figures apply broadly across Cambridge. County- and city-level variation can be significant — verify against local sources before closing a transaction. [3]
How we compute this — methodology
The Cambridge page uses local median home price ($925,000), median rent ($3,100/mo), and property tax rate (1.10%) alongside the calculator's client-side formula. Calculations run in your browser — no inputs are sent to a server.
Known limits: ZIP-level variance within Cambridge can be substantial — the figures shown are city-wide medians. For a precise property tax quote, consult your county assessor.
Sources
- Zillow Research — ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) + ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index), city-level. zillow.com/research/data. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for median household income and population. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs.
- CalcFi state financial context — tips + first-time homebuyer programs compiled from each state's Housing Finance Authority (HFA) public pages. See
src/data/state-financial-context.ts. - Tax Foundation — state property tax effective rates and state/local sales tax rates. taxfoundation.org.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rate averages used by mortgage-related calculators. freddiemac.com/pmms.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rates — www.freddiemac.com/pmms. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owners, and Homeowners Tenants Insurance Report — content.naic.org/article/homeowners-insurance-report. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- State Departments of Revenue — official bracket + deduction publications (one primary URL per state; linked in the brackets table below) — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by State — www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws — www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) — real median household income, unemployment, HPI, LFPR per state — fred.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — state-level occupational wages — www.bls.gov/oes. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
Spot an error? Email [email protected] with the URL and the correct figure.
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National reference: Property Tax Calculator