# Watertown's Tax Increase: What Does a 6.9% Rise Mean for Your Monthly Housing Costs?
Your FY2026 tax bill is landing in your mailbox this week.
And yes, it is bigger than last year.
The real question is not just "How much did taxes go up?" It is a more practical one.
What does this add to your monthly cost of owning a home in Watertown?
Key Takeaways
•The bottom line: Watertown residential property taxes are up 6.9% for FY2026, per figures from the Watertown Board of Assessors reported by Watertown News. What that costs you depends on your home's value and whether you live in it. See the tiered table below for the range.
•The rate: The residential rate is $12.20 per $1,000 of assessed value. Assessed value is what the town says your home is worth for tax purposes.
•The big lever: The owner-occupied residential exemption is the single largest factor in whether you pay a lower bill or a higher one. In the Watertown News figures, homes with the exemption average $7,363 and homes without it average $11,328 — a difference of $3,965 between the two averages.
•A key caveat up front: These are town-wide averages. If you bought recently at a high price, your increase may be larger than 6.9%, and your bill may run well above these averages.
•The move to make now: Confirm you have the exemption, check your mortgage escrow — the account your lender uses to pay your taxes for you — and fold the extra monthly cost into your budget before the next quarterly due date.
The numbers certified this spring are now hitting your actual quarterly bill. The abstract percentage from the news becomes a real line item in July.
Why Is This a Monthly Problem, Not Just a Yearly One?
It is easy to treat a tax increase as a once-a-year headache. You open the bill, you groan, you move on.
But that framing misses the real impact.
A tax hike quietly reshapes your monthly budget and your true cost of owning a home in one of Greater Boston's most walkable communities. Homeowners are feeling it. Online, the mood is a mix of anger and resignation — people describing quarterly bills jumping sharply, assessments that feel disconnected from reality, and the frustrating reality that you must pay first and fight later.
One refrain keeps surfacing: "The taxes… they're not going to go anywhere."
So rather than leaving you with a headline percentage, here is what that number actually means for your household.
What Is the 60-Second Breakdown for Busy Watertown Homeowners?
Residential bills are up 6.9% for FY2026, per figures presented by Earl Smith, chair of the Watertown Board of Assessors, and reported by Watertown News.
Here is the plain-dollar math from those figures.
The average bill for homes with the owner-occupied residential exemption is $7,363. The average bill for homes without it is $11,328.
Average Residential Tax Bill With and Without Residential Exemption
Shows the reported FY2026 average residential tax bill before and after the residential exemption for qualifying primary residences.
Divide those yearly increases by 12, and you get the monthly number that actually matters for your household budget.
FY2026 Watertown Average Property Tax Bill Increases by Exemption Status
Compares Watertown FY2026 average annual property tax bills and annual/monthly increases for owner-occupied exempt homes versus non-exempt homes.
| Category | New average annual bill | Increase (year) | Increase (month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| With exemption (you live in the home) | $7,363 | $476 | ~$40 |
| Without exemption (landlord, second home) | $11,328 | $734 | ~$61 |
Source: Watertown News, FY2026 figures from the Board of Assessors.
What this means for you: Your monthly increase depends on which group you fall into — and on your home's assessed value. Here is the range, drawn from the Watertown News averages and the certified rate:
Watertown FY2026 Property Tax Monthly Increase by Homeowner Situation
Compares approximate monthly FY2026 Watertown property tax increases for owner-occupants, non-resident owners, and recent median single-family buyers using average bills, the certified residential tax rate, and median sale price context.
| Category | Basis | Approx. monthly increase |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-occupant at the town average | Exempt-account average bill ($7,363) | About $40 more per month |
| Non-resident owner at the town average | Non-exempt average bill ($11,328) | About $61 more per month |
| Recent buyer of a median single-family home | $1,175,000 median sold price at $12.20 (illustrative, before exemption) | Materially higher — see below |
The $40 and $61 figures describe the average household in each group. If you bought recently at a high price, your number can run well above those averages. The sections below explain why, and how to calculate your own figure.
How Did Watertown Land at $12.20 per $1,000?
The rate driving your bill is $12.20 per $1,000 of assessed value. In plain terms: for every $1,000 your home is worth on the town's books, you owe $12.20 in property tax.
FY2026 Watertown Tax Rates by Property Class
Displays Watertown’s approved FY2026 residential and commercial tax rates per $1,000 of assessed value.
Source:Vision Government Solutions
There is also a commercial rate — $23.47 per $1,000, nearly double the residential figure. Businesses carry a heavier share of the levy, which means homeowners carry less.
So why did residential bills rise 6.9%, per the Board of Assessors figures reported by Watertown News? Two forces worked together:
•Assessed values went up. FY2026 assessments reflect market value as of January 1, 2025, per Vision Government Solutions.
•The levy stayed within Proposition 2½. This is the state law that caps how much a city or town can raise in total property taxes each year.
City Manager George Proakis confirmed the FY2026 levy fits within Proposition 2½ and "would not require an override" — meaning no special town-wide vote was needed to raise your bill this year.
Watertown also applies an owner-occupied residential exemption, per the Watertown Board of Assessors. This is the primary relief tool for homeowners who actually live in their homes. In the Watertown News figures, its effect is visible in the gap between the two average bills: $7,363 with the exemption versus $11,328 without it — a difference of $3,965.
At the City Council level, President Mark Sideris discussed a possible "175 percent shift to residential properties" tied to state relief measures. That is a future lever, not something reflected on your July bill.
How Do You Estimate Your Own Watertown Tax Bill?
Start by knowing which column applies to you.
If you own the home and live there as your primary residence, you likely qualify for the owner-occupied residential exemption. Landlords and second-home owners do not.
Here is the basic math:
1. Take your assessed value.
2. Divide by 1,000.
3. Multiply by $12.20.
4. That is your annual tax before any exemption.
5. If you qualify, the exemption reduces that figure.
The exemption is the biggest single variable in your bill. The gap between the two average bills — $7,363 exempt versus $11,328 non-exempt — reflects both the exemption itself and the fact that the two groups of properties can differ in value. Treat it as a meaningful approximation, not a precise per-home credit.
Watertown's single-family homes sit at the high end of the market, which is why some bills climb fast.
Median Sold Price by Property Type — Last 180 Days
Compares MLS median sold prices across Watertown’s single-family, condo, and mixed residential segments.
Source:Repliers / MLSPIN
In the price data, single-family homes carry a median sold price of $1,175,000 — Watertown's highest-priced segment, above condos at $691,000 and mixed residential properties at $790,000. A recent buyer at the single-family median can see a gross tax bill well above what the town-wide averages suggest.
What this means for you: Two homes on the same street can carry very different bills. Exemption status is often the reason. So is the assessed value each property carries.
When Will the Increase Hit Your Account?
Watertown bills property taxes in quarters, and your summer bill reflects the new FY2026 figures. Here is how the annual increase splits across four payments:
FY2026 Watertown Quarterly Property Tax Increase by Exemption Status
Compares Watertown FY2026 annual property tax increases and estimated extra quarterly payments for exempt and non-exempt residential property owners.
| Category | Annual increase | Extra per quarter |
|---|---|---|
| With exemption | $476 | ~$119 |
| Without exemption | $734 | ~$184 |
One more practical point if you have a mortgage: if your lender collects taxes through an escrow account, your monthly payment may rise. An escrow account is money your mortgage servicer holds to pay your property taxes and insurance on your behalf. When your tax bill increases, your escrow analysis eventually catches up — and your servicer may raise your monthly mortgage payment to cover the difference.
What this means for you: Check your latest escrow statement now, before the next payment surprise arrives.
With July bills in hand, this is the moment to reconcile your budget before the next quarterly due date.
What Should Watertown Homeowners Do Right Now?
There are three concrete moves worth making this month.
Are You Getting the Owner-Occupied Residential Exemption?
Start here. This exemption is the largest single factor separating the average exempt bill ($7,363) from the average non-exempt bill ($11,328). If you live in the home, it is the fastest path to a lower bill.
If you recently bought, or you are not certain the exemption is applied to your account, contact the Assessors' Office at 149 Main Street.
Should You Appeal if Your Assessment Looks Too High?
You can challenge an assessment if the town's valuation of your home seems inflated. This is called an abatement — essentially a formal request for the city to review whether your home has been valued correctly for tax purposes.
Come prepared with strong evidence, such as a recent appraisal. As the Indiana Capital Chronicle has reported, some homeowners elsewhere have successfully reduced their bills using an appraisal they already had on hand. Massachusetts and Indiana assess property under different rules, so that experience does not speak directly to Watertown's assessments — but the principle holds: if your number looks wrong, gather your evidence and ask the Assessors' Office to review it. Do not simply accept it.
Could You Qualify for Senior, Veteran, or Hardship Relief?
Seniors on fixed incomes are especially squeezed by rising bills. If that describes your household, ask the Assessors' Office which relief programs may apply. Then build the increase into your monthly plan, using the tiered range at the top of this article as your starting point.
Who Does the Average 6.9% Increase Not Fully Apply To?
The 6.9% figure — the town-wide residential increase reported by Watertown News from the Board of Assessors — is an average. Your bill may look quite different.
Are You a Landlord or Non-Resident Owner?
Without the owner-occupied residential exemption, you fall closer to the higher average bill of $11,328 — up $734 for the year, or roughly $61 more per month.
Did You Buy Recently?
If your assessment jumped with your purchase price, your increase may exceed 6.9%. This is especially relevant for buyers who paid high market prices, and it is the single biggest reason the $40 average may understate your actual bill.
Did Your Home Value Rise Less Than the Town Average?
Then your increase may be smaller. Assessed value varies by property and by neighborhood, which is precisely why no single average captures every Watertown home.
What Are the Strongest Arguments Against This?
Two fair objections deserve a direct answer.
Does the 6.9% Average Hide Big Differences Between Homes?
Yes — and the data supports that concern.
The average non-exempt bill is $11,328, compared with $7,363 for homes with the exemption. Consider the single-family median: a $1,175,000 home at $12.20 per $1,000 works out to roughly $14,335 in gross tax before any exemption ($1,175,000 ÷ 1,000 × $12.20). That is well above the town average.
The $40–$61 per month figures apply to the average household — not to every high-value recent purchase.
Honest concession: The available data provides town-wide averages and the certified rate, not a home-by-home breakdown of increases by value. That is exactly why this article offers a range and a step-by-step method rather than one universal figure. For your own number, plug your assessed value into the four-step calculation above. If you bought recently at a high price, expect your figure to run above the averages here.
Does Watertown Still Have a Relatively Low Tax Rate?
Watertown's certified residential rate of $12.20 per $1,000 is well below the town's $23.47 commercial rate. But a low rate and a low bill are not the same thing.
A low rate applied to a high home value can still produce a large bill.
The average non-exempt bill is $11,328. Both things can be true simultaneously: the rate is competitive, and the dollar amount is still a meaningful monthly commitment. For planning purposes, the dollar figure is what hits your budget — so lead with your own bill, not the rate.
What Does This Mean for Watertown's Long-Term Affordability?
Watertown is not alone in this squeeze. Rising assessments are pushing tax bills higher across the country. In Indiana, statewide assessed values rose nearly 10% from 2025 to 2026, per the Indiana Capital Chronicle. That is an out-of-state comparison, not a Watertown figure — but it points to the same national pressure homeowners are navigating here.
There is also a trade-off worth naming. Watertown remains one of Greater Boston's most walkable communities, and property taxes fund the services that sustain that quality of life.
As a broad benchmark, Watertown's effective tax rate sits close to state and national medians.
Effective Property Tax Rate Comparison
Compares Watertown’s reported median effective property tax rate with Massachusetts and national medians.
At 1.17%, Watertown's median effective rate is just above the Massachusetts median of 1.15% and the national median of 1.02%, per Ownwell. As a rate, Watertown is not an outlier. As a dollar bill, though, an $11,328 non-exempt average is a real number to budget around — which is why the rate comparison is reassuring on paper but not a substitute for planning around your own bill.
Local decisions could still shape future bills, including the classification shift the Council discussed and continued Proposition 2½ discipline, which avoided an override this year.
What Is the Bottom Line for Your Monthly Housing Costs?
There is no single number that fits every Watertown home. Plan around the tier that matches your situation:
•Owner-occupant at the town average: about $40 more per month.
•Non-resident owner at the town average: about $61 more per month.
•Recent buyer near the single-family median: materially higher, because your assessed value — and therefore your bill — sits above the town average.
That range is your planning baseline.
The bigger action item is straightforward: do not just look at the percentage. Look at your exact bill, your exemption status, and your escrow payment.
Pull your current tax bill and assessed value. Run the four-step math above. Then fold the monthly impact into your budget before your next quarterly payment comes due.
