Hampden County, Massachusetts property tax
The median homeowner in Hampden County, Massachusetts pays $4,332 a year in property tax on a home worth $276,300, an effective rate of 1.57%. The national effective rate is 0.98%.
What the rate means here
At 1.57%, Hampden County taxes property more heavily than the country as a whole, which sits at 0.98%. Both the rate and the house are above national. That is the expensive combination, and the $4,332 median bill reflects it.
Inside Massachusetts it is one of the most heavily taxed counties there is, ranking #1 of 14, against a statewide 1.11%. At the other end of the same state, Nantucket County charges 0.22%. A spread that wide inside one state is normal, because school districts, not states, set most of the levy.
The median home costs 3.92 times the median household income of $70,535, close to the national 3.86. Incomes run below the national median, and house prices run below it too, which is what keeps the ratio ordinary. At 462,853 residents the county is large enough that its median blends several distinct housing markets.
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
| Hampden County | Massachusetts | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effective property tax | 1.57% | 1.11% | 0.98% |
| Median tax bill | $4,332 | $5,813 | $2,969 |
| Median home value | $276,300 | $525,800 | $303,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,105 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median household income | $70,535 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home price to income | 3.92× | 5.19× | 3.86× |
| Rent as share of income | 18.8% | 19.98% | 20.6% |
| Owner-occupied | 62.22% | 62.6% | 65.02% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 five-year estimates. Population 462,853.
Nearby counties of similar size
| County | Rate | Median bill | Home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth County | 1.24% | $6,345 | $513,000 |
| Bristol County | 1.11% | $4,685 | $421,800 |
| Barnstable County | 0.71% | $4,090 | $575,900 |
| Norfolk County | 1.09% | $7,081 | $649,400 |
| Hampshire County | 1.47% | $5,326 | $363,400 |
Hampden County property tax: common questions
What is the property tax rate in Hampden County, Massachusetts?
The effective rate is 1.57% of home value, from a median tax bill of $4,332 against a median home value of $276,300. That is 0.59 points above the national 0.98%.
How much is property tax on a $400,000 home in Hampden County?
Roughly $6,280 a year at the county effective rate of 1.57%.
Is Hampden County expensive compared with the rest of Massachusetts?
It ranks #1 of 14 Massachusetts counties by effective property tax rate, and #275 of 2,826 nationally. That is 0.46 points above the Massachusetts average of 1.11%.
What does housing cost in Hampden County?
The median home is worth $276,300 and median gross rent is $1,105 a month. Median household income is $70,535, which puts the home at 3.92 times annual income and rent at 18.8% of it.