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Living in BurlingtonHow do Burlington property taxes compare with Woburn, Billerica, and Wilmington?
Comparing property taxes in Burlington to the neighboring towns takes two numbers for each one: the town's residential tax rate (set per $1,000 of value) and the assessed value of the specific home. A lower rate doesn't automatically mean a lower bill, and rates change every fiscal year. The official figures are published by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue's Division of Local Services, and we walk our buyers and sellers through both numbers before they write an offer or set a list price.
Key Takeaways
- A tax rate is applied to a property's assessed value, so the town with the lower rate won't always send the lower bill.
- For FY 2026, Massachusetts residential tax rates increased in 109 communities, decreased in 230, and stayed unchanged in four, so last year's rate is never a safe stand-in for this year's.
- Burlington uses a split tax rate, with one residential rate and a separate combined rate for commercial, industrial, and personal property.
- Recent local market data puts Burlington's median sale price at $899,900 with a median of 52 days on market, but a market price is not the same thing as an assessment.
- The most reliable check on any single home is its assessed value and tax bill from the town's assessing department, compared against the town's certified rate for that fiscal year.
How does comparing property taxes in Burlington to nearby towns actually work?
You compare each town's certified residential rate for the same fiscal year, then apply it to the assessed value of the home you're actually looking at. The rate alone tells you very little.
Massachusetts sets rates annually. Each community determines its levy and its property values, and local classification decisions shape how that levy is divided among residential, commercial, industrial, open-space, and personal-property classes. The state explains this on its FY 2026 tax levies, assessed values, and tax rates page.
What does "FY 2026" actually mean?
FY 2026 is the municipal fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. It is not the same as a 2026 calendar-year rate. Woburn, for example, states on its Assessing Department page that its fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30 and that the effective date for taxation is January 1.
Because FY 2027 began on July 1, 2026, the bill in your mailbox or the rate in a listing description may belong to a newer fiscal year than the figures you find in an older article. Always match the fiscal year on both sides of any comparison.
Why can neighboring towns have such different rates?
Adjacent towns are not interchangeable. Municipal budgets, levy requirements, the size of the commercial tax base, total assessed values, and classification choices can all push rates apart. Burlington and Woburn each publish a residential rate and a separate commercial, industrial, and personal-property rate. Billerica and Wilmington have their own budgets and their own certified numbers.
Statewide movement shows how fast things shift. For FY 2026, residential rates went up in 109 communities, down in 230, and stayed flat in four, according to the state's FY 2026 data. For Billerica and Wilmington, we point you to each town's assessing office and the state's tax-rate data rather than quote a number that may already be stale.
Does a lower tax rate always mean a lower tax bill?
No. The rate is expressed per $1,000 of assessed value, and your bill depends on the assessment assigned to your parcel. Two similar-looking homes in neighboring towns can land on different bills for reasons that have nothing to do with the rate alone.
| What drives the bill | Where it comes from | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Residential tax rate | Set by the town each fiscal year, published through the state | Applied to every $1,000 of assessed value |
| Assessed value | Assigned to the individual parcel by the town's assessors | Two homes at the same rate can have very different bills |
| Classification | Local decision on how the levy is split among property classes | Affects the residential rate versus the commercial rate |
| Fiscal year | July 1 through June 30 | Comparing rates from different years gives a false picture |
| Installment timing | Town billing schedule | Preliminary installments may not reflect the final certified rate |
That last row catches people off guard. Burlington's quarterly schedule includes preliminary and actual installments, so the amount on an earlier bill may not match the final certified rate.
How do sale prices fit into the picture?
Sale prices and assessments are separate numbers, but you'll want both in front of you when you shop across towns. Here is how the neighboring markets look in recent local market data (trailing roughly 90 days, as of October 2026). These are area-level medians, and an individual home's value depends on condition, street, build year, and timing.
| Area | Median Sale Price | Median Days on Market |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington | $899,900 | 52 |
| Billerica | $700,000 | 53 |
| Woburn | $743,250 | 53 |
| Wilmington | $751,000 | 64 |
| Chelmsford | $650,000 | 46 |
| Reading | $956,000 | 62 |
| Stoneham | $815,000 | 46 |
| Wakefield | $780,000 | 49 |
In Burlington, recent local market data shows 47 active listings, 30 new listings in the last 30 days, and 51 homes sold over about 90 days. Higher-priced markets don't automatically carry higher tax bills, because a town's rate is built from its levy and its total assessed values. That is why we never rank towns by rate or by price alone.
One more caution. We haven't seen anything that establishes a distinct municipal tax rate for individual neighborhoods within these towns. The rate is town-wide, and the assessment is parcel-specific. Don't assume one street or section of town carries a different rate unless the assessor's records for that parcel say so.
How do you check the taxes on a specific home before you buy or sell?
Pull the parcel's assessed value and tax bill from the town's assessing department, then compare it with the town's certified rate for that fiscal year. It takes a few minutes and prevents the most common surprise in a purchase.
- Get the parcel's assessment and current bill. Burlington, Woburn, Billerica, and Wilmington each have an assessing department that can confirm both.
- Confirm the fiscal year. Make sure the rate and the assessment you are comparing belong to the same fiscal year.
- Look up the certified rate. The state's property tax data and statistics page lists tax-rate and levy-limit materials for individual cities and towns.
- Check the installment type. Find out whether the bill you're looking at is a preliminary or an actual installment.
- Ask your lender how taxes enter your payment. Tax estimates feed your monthly housing cost, so verify the numbers with your lender before you commit.
What should buyers do differently?
Don't shop on the previous owner's bill. Taxes are based on the assessment and the rate, and both can move. In our experience, buyers comparing a Burlington listing against one in Woburn or Wilmington do far better when we put the assessment, the rate, and the monthly payment side by side before they fall in love with either house.
What should sellers do differently?
Know what your own bill says before you list, because buyers will ask. Taxes are adjusted between you and the buyer at closing, and your real estate attorney handles that settlement. Your property tax bill is one piece of your overall costs, and our breakdown of what it actually costs to sell a home in Greater Boston covers the categories. When you're ready to set a number, how to price your home in Middlesex County walks through the comps we use. If you want to see how employer hiring along the corridor shapes demand, we cover that in how Route 128 hiring affects the Burlington and Woburn housing market.
Your actual tax picture depends on your parcel, your town, and the fiscal year. That's where a local market analysis and a conversation with someone who has run these comparisons many times comes in.
Curious how we work with clients? You can read our reviews on Google, Zillow, and Realtor.com.
FAQ
How do Burlington property taxes compare with Woburn, Billerica, and Wilmington?
They differ by town, by fiscal year, and by the assessed value of each home. Each town sets its own rate based on its budget, levy, and tax base, so you need each town's certified rate for the same fiscal year plus the parcel's assessment. We help clients build that side-by-side before they decide.
What is Burlington's current residential property-tax rate?
Burlington publishes a residential rate and a separate combined rate for commercial, industrial, and personal property. Rates are certified each fiscal year, so check the Division of Local Services and Burlington's assessing office for the figure that matches the year on your bill. Don't rely on a rate quoted in an older article.
Do commercial properties pay a different rate than residential ones in Burlington?
Yes. Burlington uses a split tax rate, which means commercial, industrial, and personal property are taxed at a rate separate from residential property. Woburn likewise publishes separate residential and commercial/industrial/personal-property rates.
When are Burlington property-tax bills due?
Burlington bills on a quarterly schedule that includes preliminary and actual installments. Confirm the exact due dates with the town's treasurer and collector, since the amount on an earlier bill may not reflect the final certified rate.
Can a property-tax assessment be appealed in Massachusetts?
Yes, there is a process for questioning an assessment through the town's assessing office. Deadlines are strict and the process is specific, so contact the assessing department promptly and confirm the steps with your real estate attorney or tax advisor.
The short version of comparing property taxes in Burlington to the towns around it: look at the rate, the assessment, and the fiscal year together, never just one. We do this comparison with buyers and sellers across Burlington, Woburn, Billerica, Wilmington, and the rest of our Greater Boston coverage area, and we'll do it for your specific home. Get a free home valuation to start, or download our free Seller's Guide if you're planning ahead.
Equal Housing Opportunity. Vicky Kustov, Real Estate Sales, Massachusetts. Each office is independently owned and operated. This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your own numbers with your real estate attorney, tax advisor, or lender.
