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Suffolk County · Massachusetts

Boston sales tax rate (MA)

Massachusetts allows no local sales tax, so Boston charges the flat state rate — but clothing under $175 per item is exempt, and only the amount above $175 is taxed.

Ten dollar bills on a dark surface, illustrating state sales tax rates

Quick answer

The combined sales tax rate in Boston, MA is 6.25% as of January 1, 2026 — 6.25% state. On a $100 purchase that is $6.25 in tax, for a total of $106.25. Massachusetts's statewide base is 6.25%.

Verified against state tableEffective January 1, 2026 · rank 78 of 94 covered metros
Combined rate
6.25%
State share
6.25%
Local share
0%County + city + districts
Tax on $100
$6.25

Calculate Boston sales tax

Pre-filled with the Boston combined rate.

Sales tax calculator

The full combined rate of 6.25% applies to general merchandise.

Enter a pre-tax amount to see the tax due in Boston, MA.

Pre-tax
$100
Sales tax at 6.25%
$6.25
Total
$106.25

Tax is rounded to the nearest cent on the full transaction, which is how most registers compute it. Line-item rounding can differ by a cent or two on long receipts.

Is 6.25% high?

Where Boston sits against the state and the covered-metro median, in points and in dollars.

vs covered median
-1.7 ptsMedian 7.95%
Local share
0%0% of the total
Cost per household
$1,625Per year on $26,000 taxable spend
Jurisdiction layers
1Stacked into the combined rate

6.25% in Boston — low. It ranks 78 of 94 covered metros, -1.7 pts against the 7.95% median. On $26,000 of taxable household spending that is $1,625 a year, $442 below it.

The whole 6.25% is the Massachusetts state rate. No county, city or district increment applies, so the rate holds anywhere in Massachusetts — crossing a municipal line changes nothing you pay.

Same bracket nationally: Sioux Falls, SD (6.2%). A household relocating between Boston and any of them sees no meaningful change in sales tax.

Massachusetts allows no local sales tax, so Boston charges the flat state rate — but clothing under $175 per item is exempt, and only the amount above $175 is taxed.

Rates move when a district measure passes or a local option expires. Confirm the current figure with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue before filing or quoting it to a customer.

Jurisdiction breakdown

Every layer that makes up the combined rate, and how much of the total each one contributes.

Sales tax rate composition for Boston, MA: 6.25% Massachusetts state sales tax, totalling 6.25%.
Sales tax rate components for Boston, MA
JurisdictionLevelRateShare of total
Massachusetts state sales taxstate6.25%
100%
Combined rate6.25%
Source: Massachusetts Department of Revenue rate tables · rates as published for 2026

Boston sales tax reference table

Tax due at 6.25% on common purchase amounts.

Tax due at 6.25% for common purchase amounts
PurchaseSales taxTotal
$10$0.63$10.63
$25$1.56$26.56
$50$3.13$53.13
$100$6.25$106.25
$500$31.25$531.25
$1,000$62.50$1062.50
$5,000$312.50$5312.50
$25,000$1562.50$26562.50

Reverse out sales tax

Enter a receipt total and we split the item price from the 6.25% tax collected.

Backing out 6.25% for Boston, MA.

Item price before tax
$100
Sales tax collected
$6.25

What this rate applies to

Massachusetts publishes the taxable base separately from the rate. Groceries, prescription drugs, clothing and services are treated differently state to state, and several categories in Massachusetts are taxed at reduced rates or exempt entirely. Massachusetts allows no local sales tax, so Boston charges the flat state rate — but clothing under $175 per item is exempt, and only the amount above $175 is taxed. Check the Massachusetts Department of Revenue guidance for the category you are pricing before assuming 6.25% applies.

Boston at a glance

Population
653,833
Median household income
$89,212
County
Suffolk County
ZIP codes covered
16
Boston demographicsZIP codesSeller registration

Neighboring districts tax profiles

The closest covered jurisdictions by county and ZIP sectional centre, with the rate difference against this metro.

Compare Boston with another metro

Side-by-side rate stacks and the dollar difference on a $1,000 purchase.

    Cities near Boston

    Straight-line distance, estimated drive time and the rate charged there.

    All metros within 250 miles of Boston →

    Download this metro's data

    The Boston jurisdiction stack, combined rate (6.25%), effective date and Census figures are published as open files. Free to use with attribution — no key, no signup.

    Download CSV data fileBoston JSON endpointFull rate set (JSON)

    Other Boston datasets on this site.

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