Barnstable County, Massachusetts property tax
The median homeowner in Barnstable County, Massachusetts pays $4,090 a year in property tax on a home worth $575,900, an effective rate of 0.71%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 0.71%, Barnstable County taxes property more lightly than the national 0.98%. This is the case where the rate misleads. Owners pay $4,090 a year, which is what matters, and the low percentage is a function of what housing is worth rather than of restraint by the county.
It ranks #11 of 14 Massachusetts counties by effective rate, against a statewide 1.11%, and #1,724 nationally. The state runs from 1.57% in Hampden County down to 0.22% in Nantucket County.
The median home costs 6.1 times the median household income of $94,452, against 3.86 nationally, so housing absorbs an unusually large share of what people here earn. Renters pay 20.28% of median income in gross rent. The county has 230,073 residents, which is small enough that the medians describe a reasonably coherent market.
The rate is derived rather than quoted. How and why.
What that costs at different home values
Arithmetic at the county effective rate, before any exemption or assessment cap.
Housing and income
| Barnstable County | Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 0.71% | 1.11% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $4,090 | $5,813 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $575,900 | $525,800 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,596 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $94,452 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 6.1× | 5.19× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 20.28% | 19.98% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 80.55% | 62.6% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 230,073.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire County | 1.47% | $5,326 | $363,400 |
| Berkshire County | 1.37% | $3,891 | $283,800 |
| Franklin County | 1.51% | $4,595 | $303,400 |
| Dukes County | 0.50% | $5,503 | $1,104,100 |
| Nantucket County | 0.22% | $2,985 | $1,387,000 |
Barnstable County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Barnstable County, Massachusetts?
The effective rate is 0.71% of home value, from a median tax bill of $4,090 against a median home value of $575,900. That is 0.27 points below the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Barnstable County?
Roughly $2,840 a year at the county effective rate of 0.71%.
Is Barnstable County expensive compared with the rest of Massachusetts?
It ranks #11 of 14 Massachusetts counties by effective property tax rate, and #1724 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.4 points below the Massachusetts average of 1.11%.
What does housing cost in Barnstable County?
The median home is worth $575,900 and median gross rent is $1,596 a month. Median household income is $94,452, which puts the home at 6.1 times annual income and rent at 20.28% of it.