Around New England

Massachusetts Residents Have One Of The Highest Tax Burdens In The Country

April 21, 2021

If you live in Massachusetts, odds are you pay a lot more in state and local taxes than the average American does.

Massachusetts residents ranked sixth in state and local taxes paid in fiscal year 2018, according to data released by the Tax Foundation last week. The average Bay Stater paid $7,006 in state and local taxes. That also ranked second among New England states. Only Connecticut ranked ahead ($8,494) — and second in the country overall.

“As state lawmakers begin the budget process, they should be cautious that Massachusetts taxpayers are already among the most generous in New England and in the country,” Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance spokesman Paul Craney said in a press release on the matter. “Even if State House leaders do not include any new tax hikes in this year’s budget, our taxpayers are already stretched thin. Sustained increases in state spending, continued refusals to make state government more efficient, and no tax relief are all contributing factors to Massachusetts getting to this point.”