Taxes when buying a house in Massachusetts

Massachusetts does not tax the buyer on a home purchase or on the mortgage. The transfer tax ($4.56 per $1,000 (0.456%)) is usually paid by the seller.

Purchase price

State

Down payment

Loan amount: $320,000. Some states tax the mortgage, so the loan size changes the result there. Paying cash? Enter 100.

Estimated taxes when you buyMassachusetts · Rates verified November 2026

Pay to the order ofState and county tax offices$0

Zero and 00/100 dollars

Massachusetts does not tax the buyer on this purchase.

Taxes the buyer pays
Tax on the purchase	$0
Total buyer taxes	$0

Taxes only. Lender fees, title insurance, flat recording fees and prepaid property tax are separate closing costs.

What a Massachusetts home buyer is taxed on

Buyer's taxes: None on the purchase or the mortgage.
Transfer tax: The seller, by custom. The tax stamps are bought when the deed is recorded.
Sales tax: None. A home is real estate, and sales tax does not apply to it.
Official source: Massachusetts General Laws chapter 64D, section 1
Last verified: November 2026

Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard each charge the buyer a 2% land bank fee, with an exemption for first-time buyers. These island fees are not in the calculator.

Massachusetts buyer taxes at common prices

Purchase price	Loan with 20% down	Buyer's taxes
$150,000	$120,000	$0
$250,000	$200,000	$0
$400,000	$320,000	$0
$600,000	$480,000	$0
$1,000,000	$800,000	$0

Questions Massachusetts buyers ask

Do buyers pay transfer tax in Massachusetts?

The seller, by custom. The tax stamps are bought when the deed is recorded.

Is there a mortgage tax in Massachusetts?

No. Massachusetts does not tax the recording of a mortgage. The county charges only a flat fee to record it.

Is there sales tax when you buy a house in Massachusetts?

No. Sales tax applies to goods and some services, and a house is real estate, which no state taxes that way.

How much tax does a buyer pay at closing in Massachusetts?

Usually none. On a $400,000 home a Massachusetts buyer owes no state or local tax on the purchase itself. Closing costs still include lender fees, title insurance and prepaid property tax.

Selling in Massachusetts? Use the Massachusetts transfer tax calculator.