Massachusetts
D+28 · High tax burden · COL index 148
9%
Income Tax
338
Violent Crime / 100K
80
Life Expectancy
$580K
Median Home
$2,400
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Get notified when Massachusetts tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Taxes
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Income Tax
5% standard + 4% surtax on income over $1M
Property Tax
~$6,032/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Long-term gains at 5%; short-term at 8.5%
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Below national avg (~2,100)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Among the safest
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Top tier
Life Expectancy
Above national avg (76.4)
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Well below national avg
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
Top 10 nationally
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Very expensive (national avg ~$1,200)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Top-25 US airport by passengers
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Highly urban — big city feel
Restaurant Density
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
3.8/100K residents — Solid scene
Craft Distilleries
Strong spirits scene
Live Music
Boston music heritage (Aerosmith, Pixies, Dropkick Murphys); Boston Calling; Tremont Street Crawl
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
Legal to viability; strong state law
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor. Sports betting launched 2023. Very active lottery (one of highest per-capita revenues).
Age of Consent
Sex Education
No state sex ed mandate
Medically Accurate Required
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Sandy Terraces (Hanson) · Berkshire Vista (Hancock)
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+1.4% job growth · 3.7% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Top tech job market nationally
Healthcare Jobs
Top healthcare job market
Remote Work
High remote work culture
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
High corporate rate — plan entity structure carefully
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Near avg (+0.04 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
All consumer fireworks banned statewide — sparklers included
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 36°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
4.8% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
Disabled vet property tax exemption
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore Massachusetts counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in Massachusetts
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
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What Residents Say
Cost of living in Massachusetts ... : r/boston
Consider that after taxes you'll have ~$90k ($7.5k/month) of disposable income and rent will be in the $3.5-4k/month range (on the low end) and ......
reddit.com ↗
For those moving to higher tax states...
Housing and taxes cost more, but we have universal free meals for kids in school, tons of free activities and programs for the elderly, disabled ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving to MA : r/massachusetts
MA has slightly higher sales tax than VA, but there's no tax on groceries or clothes, up to a certain $$ amount per item. If you end up living ......
reddit.com ↗
Move to Massachusetts from Texas a good idea or not?
I'm 68(f) and my husband is 79(m). He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2017 and had a stroke in 2019. I've been paying all the bills since 2017 when he ......
reddit.com ↗
What are the cost of living in Massachusetts?
I am Austrian and am considering moving to the USA for a few years to work and gain experience abroad. I am particularly drawn to New England. For example, ......
reddit.com ↗
Cost of living compared to NYC : r/boston
The “luxury” 1/1s in nice areas in Boston are 3.5-4.5k. Those equivalent in NYC are all 5.5-6k per month. Every tax is higher in NYC which has ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving to Newton - Family of 5 expenses : r/newtonma
Massachusetts state income tax is a flat 5%. You'll have some other taxes taken out of your paycheck but the federal and state income taxes are ......
reddit.com ↗
Odd request- cons list for living in MA : r/massachusetts
The cost of housing is about the same, gas prices are SO much cheaper, and state tax (plus sales tax) is lower. You get all four seasons instead ......
reddit.com ↗
Going to Massachusetts : r/moving
The state income tax does suck. However, you (1) have better access to deductions like moving expenses and rent which can bring down your tax ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving to Massachusetts or Virginia? : r/relocating
Hello! My husband and I are considering a move in June to either Virginia or Massachusetts, I don’t know much about Mass- but I have been to Virginia ......
reddit.com ↗
Stay Current
Get notified when Massachusetts tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.