Massachusetts delinquent tax lists by county
Short answer: Massachusetts is a lien state, so a winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. Municipal tax takings accrue 16%, and the town forecloses the redemption right in Land Court. Tax enforcement runs at the town and city level here rather than the county, so the official delinquent roll comes from the local municipal collector of taxes. Below is every Massachusetts county we cover, with the live count of distressed owners in each.
Counties covered
14
Every one has its own ranked list and county-level rules page.
Flagged owners statewide
22,488
Carrying at least one distress signal in public records, refreshed daily.
Sale type
Lien
Municipal tax takings accrue 16%, and the town forecloses the redemption right in Land Court.
Every Massachusetts county we cover
Sorted largest first. Each county page carries the official list source, the sale rules and the live ranked list of owners under pressure right now.
| County | County seat | Population | Flagged owners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County | Cambridge | 1,630,000 | 4,042 |
| Worcester County | Worcester | 866,000 | 2,528 |
| Essex County | Salem | 809,000 | 1,725 |
| Suffolk County | Boston | 797,000 | 3,939 |
| Norfolk County | Dedham | 726,000 | 1,919 |
| Bristol County | Taunton | 580,000 | 2,046 |
| Plymouth County | Plymouth | 533,000 | 2,460 |
| Hampden County | Springfield | 466,000 | 1,218 |
| Barnstable County | 232,570 | 1,014 | |
| Hampshire County | 165,399 | 877 | |
| Berkshire County | 128,726 | 366 | |
| Franklin County | 70,871 | 214 | |
| Dukes County | 21,061 | 105 | |
| Nantucket County | 14,670 | 35 |
Massachusetts tax sale rules
| Tax sale system | Massachusetts is a lien state. A winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. |
|---|---|
| Rate and cadence | Municipal tax takings accrue 16%, and the town forecloses the redemption right in Land Court. |
| Who publishes the list | Each town or city rather than the county. In Massachusetts the Municipal Collector of Taxes runs the delinquent roll and the sale. |
| Foreclosure path | Non-judicial, typically 3 to 6 months from filing to sale. |
| Deficiency after sale | Allowed with strict pre-sale notice. |
| Local note | A Servicemembers Civil Relief Act court filing accompanies most sales without making the process judicial. |
The Massachusetts delinquency clock
Massachusetts delinquent tax list FAQ
Is Massachusetts a tax lien or tax deed state?
Massachusetts is a lien state. A winning bidder gets a tax lien certificate, which pays interest if the owner redeems and can be foreclosed into ownership if they do not. Municipal tax takings accrue 16%, and the town forecloses the redemption right in Land Court.
Where do I find the Massachusetts delinquent tax list?
Massachusetts runs tax enforcement at the town and city level, not the county, so the official delinquent roll comes from the local Municipal Collector of Taxes rather than a single county office. Pick your county below to see the municipalities inside it and the live list of distressed owners in that area.
How long does an owner have to redeem in Massachusetts?
Municipal tax takings accrue 16%, and the town forecloses the redemption right in Land Court. That window is the single biggest thing separating a good tax-sale trade from a bad one, because it decides how long your money sits before you can act.
How many tax-delinquent properties are there in Massachusetts?
Across the 14 Massachusetts counties we track, roughly 22,488 properties currently carry at least one distress signal in public records, including tax delinquency, foreclosure filings, vacancy and long-distance ownership. The counts refresh daily.
Can I buy Massachusetts tax-delinquent property before the auction?
Yes. The delinquency appears in the public record months before any sale is scheduled, and during that window the owner can still sell normally. That is the whole opportunity: no bidding war, an inspection is possible, and an owner with equity walks away with money instead of nothing.