How Braintree's Property Tax Hike Compares to Highest in State

Compared to many cities and towns in Massachusetts, Braintree saw a relatively minor increase in its residential property tax rate this past year.

The largest increase in the state, according to an analysis by the Boston Business Journal, came in East Brookfield, a small town of 2,000 in Worcester County. The town's rate increased 19.7 percent to $17.42 per thousand.

Braintree, by comparison, saw a 2.8 percent increase in its property tax rate, going from $11.11 per thousand in fiscal year 2013 to $11.42 in 2014.

Because of a tax classification shift that Braintree has adopted each year for decades, its commercial tax rate is considerably higher, at $25.94 this year.

"Everett retained its ranking as the community with the most-onerous commercial rate ($40.95), although business owners can at least take solace in the fact that the rate did decline from fiscal 2013's levy of $43.04," the BBJ wrote.

Duxbury experienced the second-highest residential increase, a 13.8 percent hike to $16.15 per thousand.

The lowest increase this year in Massachusetts was, in fact, a decrease. New Ashford, a town of 247 people in Berkshire County, saw its residential property tax rate decline 10.5 percent to $8.20.

The next lowest was Somerville, which saw a 5.7 percent decrease to $12.66 per thousand.