The Framingham tax rate for fiscal year 2026 is $11.83 per $1,000 of assessed value for residential property and $23.97 per $1,000 for commercial, industrial, and personal property.1City of Framingham, MA Official Website. Assessors Department – Section: FISCAL YEAR 2026 Tax Rates A home assessed at $500,000 generates a base bill of $5,915 before any exemptions or the Community Preservation surcharge. A commercial property at the same assessed value owes $11,985.
Why Framingham Has Two Rates
Framingham uses a split tax rate, which shifts more of the total tax burden onto business property and less onto homeowners. The City Council sets the split each year at a public tax classification hearing required under state law.2Division of Local Services. Understanding the Classification Hearing Process in Local Taxation and Tax Policy The hearing does not change the total revenue the city collects. It only decides how that total is divided between residential taxpayers and commercial, industrial, and personal property owners.
The rates themselves come from simple division. The city calculates its total levy for the year, then divides that number by the combined assessed value of all taxable property. The Board of Assessors sets those individual assessments using market sales data, construction costs, and physical property characteristics. When total assessed values across the city rise faster than the budget, the rate per $1,000 drops even though the city collects the same amount. When values fall or hold steady, the rate climbs.
The Community Preservation Act Surcharge
On top of the base bill, Framingham adds a 1 percent Community Preservation Act surcharge. The money funds open space preservation, affordable housing, historic restoration, and recreational land.3City of Framingham, Massachusetts. Frequently Asked Questions Every residential parcel gets a $100,000 reduction in assessed value before the surcharge is calculated. So on a home assessed at $500,000, the 1 percent applies to $400,000 of value at the residential rate, adding $47.32 to the annual bill.
Some residents can skip the surcharge entirely. Homeowners age 60 or older whose household income is at or below the area median income set annually by HUD can apply for a full exemption by filing State Tax Form CP-4 with the Assessors’ Office. Residents who already qualify for low-income housing or who receive a property tax exemption or abatement get a proportional reduction in the surcharge.3City of Framingham, Massachusetts. Frequently Asked Questions
Exemptions That Reduce Your Bill
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5 allows several personal exemptions that directly reduce what a qualifying owner pays.4General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59 – Assessment of Local Taxes The dollar amounts are modest against a full bill, but they stack with other relief.
- Disabled veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 10 percent or more qualify for a base exemption of $400 under Clause 22. Higher ratings, specific injuries such as loss of a limb, and 100-percent disability open larger exemptions under Clauses 22A through 22F, up to a full exemption for the most severely disabled veterans. Applicants provide military discharge papers (Form DD214) and documentation of the disability rating from the Veterans Administration.
- Legally blind homeowners receive a $437.50 exemption under Clause 37. A current Certificate of Legal Blindness from the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind must be filed each year, though first-time applicants can submit a doctor’s statement certifying blindness to the Commission’s specifications.5Mass.gov. Guide to Real Estate Tax Exemptions for Blind Persons
- Older homeowners who meet age, income, and asset thresholds set by the city may qualify for an exemption under Clause 41C. The exact limits depend on which version of the clause Framingham has adopted, so check current thresholds with the Assessors’ Office.
Every exemption requires that you own and occupy the property as your primary home as of July 1 of the tax year in question.6Mass.gov. Massachusetts General Laws c.59 Section 5 – Property Exemptions
Framingham also runs a Senior Property Tax Work-Off Program that lets qualifying residents earn a credit on their tax bill through volunteer service in city departments. Eligibility requires that you be at least 62, have owned and lived in your Framingham home for at least five years, and meet household income limits.7City of Framingham. Senior Property Tax Work-Off Program The credit amount, required hours, and number of slots change year to year. Veterans already receiving a Veterans Work-Off abatement cannot participate.
Challenging an Assessment You Think Is Too High
If the city’s assessed value on your property looks higher than what the home would actually sell for, you can file for an abatement. An abatement is not an exemption. It challenges the underlying valuation the city assigned to your property rather than reducing the tax on an accurate value.
The application is available from the Assessors’ Office and asks for your parcel identification number, property address, and your own estimate of fair market value.8City of Framingham. Application for Abatement of Real Property Tax Bring evidence: a recent independent appraisal, photographs of deferred maintenance or structural problems, or sales data from comparable homes nearby. Specific documentation wins abatements. Vague opinions don’t.
The deadline is strict. Your application must reach the Assessors’ Office on or before the due date of the first actual (not preliminary) tax bill of the fiscal year, typically February 1. Miss that date and the Assessors have no legal authority to grant relief, regardless of the merits.8City of Framingham. Application for Abatement of Real Property Tax Once filed, the Board of Assessors has three months to act and issue a written decision. A granted abatement produces either a credit on a future bill or a refund of any overpayment.
If the Assessors deny your application, you have three months from the date of their action to appeal to the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board. If they never act within their three-month window, the application is deemed denied, and your three months to appeal starts on that deemed-denied date.9Mass.gov. Real Estate Tax Appeals – A Helpful Guide for Taxpayers and Assessors Watch the date of action printed on the notice, not the mailing date. The Appellate Tax Board’s filing fee scales with assessed value, from $10 for properties assessed at $20,000 or less up to $100 for properties between $100,000 and $999,999.
When Bills Are Due and How to Pay
Framingham bills property taxes on a quarterly cycle. Installments are due August 1, November 1, February 1, and May 1. When a due date falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.10City of Framingham, MA Official Website. Treasurer / Collector The August and November bills are preliminary and based on the prior year’s tax. The February and May bills reflect the current year’s actual rate and assessed value, with any difference reconciled.
You can pay online through the city portal by electronic check or credit card, mail a check payable to the City of Framingham to the Treasurer/Collector’s office, or drop payment in the secure box at City Hall. Late payments accrue interest at 14 percent per year, calculated from the day after the due date until the city receives payment.11City of Framingham, MA Official Website. Important Tax Information – Section: Interest That rate is set by state law and cannot be waived, so a payment that arrives even one day late starts costing you.12General Court of Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59 – Section 57
Unpaid taxes carry heavier consequences than interest alone. Massachusetts gives the city an automatic lien on any property with outstanding taxes, and Framingham can convert that lien into a formal tax taking recorded at the registry of deeds after 14 days’ written notice.13Mass.gov. Tax Lien Foreclosure Informational Outline If you are falling behind, call the Treasurer/Collector’s office to set up a payment arrangement before the account moves into tax title, when interest and legal costs start climbing.