Suffolk County

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Suffolk County, Massachusetts

3 Pemberton Square
Boston, Massachusetts 02108

Tel: 617-788-8175
Fax: 617-720-4163

Suffolk County Property Assessment Adjustment Instructions

  1. Obtain the assessed valuation of your property.
  2. Determine the fair market value for your property.
  3. Discuss the assessment with your assessor.
  4. Determine the basis for your formal appeal.
  5. File a written appeal with your Board of Review.
  6. Present evidence of unfair assessment to the Board of Review at the hearing.
  7. Appeal the Board of Review's decision to the State Property Tax Appeal Board (in writing) in the event of an unsatisfactory decision by the Board of Review.

Here's how to lower your property taxes in Suffolk county

Contact the county assessor

Contact the Suffolk county tax assessor's office and ask for a review of the property's value. Visit the Suffolk county assessor's website to find the phone number to call. If the assessor determines that your property is worth less than the value on which your taxes are based, your property taxes may be lowered.

Tax exemptions

Start by finding what your tax bill is. Typically you will find your tax bill information on your mortgage statement. Look for tax exemptions or credits that you may be eligible for. Many states and localities offer exemptions or credits for homeowners who meet certain criteria, information such as being over a certain age or having a low income. Suffolk county may have these types of exemptions available for homeowners. These exemptions and credits can lower the property tax you owe.

Appeal tax assessment

Appeal the property tax assessment. If you believe that your property's value has been overestimated, you can typically appeal the assessment to your Suffolk county tax assessor's office. This is part of the services that your assessor's office provides. You will need to provide evidence to support your claim, such as a recent appraisal or sales data for comparable properties and homes in your area. Usually, you will meet with the Board of Equalization. If your appeal is successful, your property taxes may be lowered.

Challenge the tax rate

Consider challenging the tax rate. In some cases, the amount of property taxes you owe is not based on the value of your property, but on the tax rate set by your local government. If you believe that the tax rate is too high, you can contact your Suffolk county government and ask them to consider reducing it.

Property Tax Rules

Stay up-to-date on your property's value and property tax rules. For the purpose of lowering your Suffolk county property tax, property value is the assessed property value and not the market property value. Assessed property value is used for taxation purposes while market property value is what a buyer and seller would likely agree on. Typically the assessed value is lower than the market value. Your property's value can change over time due to a variety of factors, such as changes in the local real estate market or improvements you make to your property. To ensure that your property taxes are accurate and fair, it is important to stay informed about your property's value and contact Suffolk county local tax assessor's office if you believe there has been a significant change.

Keep in mind that property tax laws and regulations can vary, so it is important to consult with your Suffolk county Massachusetts tax assessor's office for specific information about how to reduce your property taxes.

About Suffolk County

Homes in Suffolk county have a median home value of $547,173.

Suffolk county home values are ranked 3 out of 14 counties in the state of Massachusetts for median home price. The average median home value in Massachusetts is $400,226. Hampden county has the lowest median price at $215,884. Nantucket county has the highest median price at $1,152,210.

Compared to the rest of the United States, Suffolk county homes have a median home value that is above the national median value of $130,626 by ~319%.

Massachusetts Median Home Values by County

The median household income in Suffolk county is $74,881.

Compared to the state of Massachusetts and the United States, Suffolk county's median household income is lower than the state of Massachusetts's average median household income of $80,795 and higher than the United States average median household income of $54,172.

income

Suffolk county's population has grown from 663,906 in 1990 to 797,936 in 2020, an increase of 20% over that time frame.

For comparison, the state of Massachusetts's population has grown from 6,016,425 in 1990 to 7,029,917 in 2020, an increase of 17% over that time frame.

In the United States, the population has grown from 248,790,925 in 1990 to 331,449,281 in 2020, an increase of 33% over that time frame.

Suffolk county's population change from 1990 to 2020 is greater than the population change for Massachusetts and less than the population change for United States.

population

Suffolk County Massachusetts Cities

Allston, Boston, Brighton, Cambridge, Charlestown, Chelsea, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Revere, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, West Roxbury, Winthrop

Suffolk County Massachusetts Zipcodes

02108 / 02109 / 02110 / 02111 / 02113 / 02114 / 02115 / 02116 / 02118 / 02119 / 02120 / 02121 / 02122 / 02124 / 02125 / 02126 / 02127 / 02128 / 02129 / 02130 / 02131 / 02132 / 02134 / 02135 / 02136 / 02150 / 02151 / 02152 / 02163 / 02199 / 02210 / 02215 / 02222 /

Massachusetts Counties

Barnstable / Berkshire / Bristol / Dukes / Essex / Franklin / Hampden / Hampshire / Middlesex / Nantucket / Norfolk / Plymouth / Suffolk / Worcester

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