The nation's best healthcare and no tax on Social Security. Watch out: very high living costs and an estate tax that reaches ordinary homeowners.
The short version
Social Security: not taxed at all.
Pensions: Massachusetts public pensions exempt; private pensions taxed.
401(k) and IRA withdrawals: 401(k)/IRA withdrawals taxed at 5%.
The setup: Flat 5%, plus a 4% surtax on income over $1 million.
The average effective property tax rate is about 1.00% — roughly $3,000 a year ($250 a month) on a $300,000 home. Your county sets the real number.
Help for seniors: Senior circuit-breaker tax credit (up to about $2,700) for homeowners 65+ with modest income.
Try your own home value in the Property Tax Estimator.
Overall cost of living runs about 41% above the U.S. average. The combined state and average local sales tax is 6.25%.
January days top out around 36°F and July days around 82°F, with roughly 200 sunny days a year. Watch out for: Nor'easters and blizzards.
Arguably the best hospitals in the country, centered in Boston.
Massachusetts has an estate tax. Estate tax above a $2 million exemption — catches many homeowners