Dennis, MA: town finances
Low debt and solid savings (8.1% of budget); override vote in 2026; another override vote likely.
Budget grade
Better than 69% of MA towns · score 85 of 100
Ability to pay
Above the state median for income; second homes inflate property value here
Shown separately; not part of the budget grade. Income per resident $57,683 (Census ACS 2020-24); property value (EQV) per resident $876,782 (DLS 2024).
Chance of an override vote
6 points on our 0-8 scale: Low 0-2, Medium 3-4, High 5+. It ranks towns; it is not a percentage.
Key numbers
| Measure | Dennis | Median MA town |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tax bill, FY2026 (average single-family) | $3,873 | $6,755 |
| Tax bill as a share of median household income | 4.4% | 6.4% |
| Tax bill growth per year, FY2016-26 | 3.77% | 3.95% |
| Override vote dates, last 5 years | Yes (1 vote) | 35% of towns had one |
| Savings (reserves), % of budget, FY2024-26 average | 8.1% | 7.3% |
| Debt, % of property value, FY2023-25 (voter-approved debt at half weight) | 0.23% | 0.70% |
| Debt payments inside the tax cap, % of budget | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Unused room under the tax cap, FY2026 (% of max levy) | 0.65% | 0.34% |
| School enrollment, 5-year change | +7% | -2% |
| Students per teacher, 2025-26 | 10.4 | 11.4 |
| Median single-family sale price, 2024 | $715k (250 sales) | $614k |
| Single-family price change, 2019-24 | +82.2% | +52.8% |
| Median household income (Census, 2020-24) | $88,154 | $113,750 |
| Population (DLS) | 14,932 | 10,585 |
Main school district: Dennis-Yarmouth (regional district shared with 2 towns). Shaded = worse than the median town on tax bill share or enrollment. Medians are across all 351 towns with data.
Why this budget grade
Budget grade B, solid (85/100; better than 69% of MA towns): reserves averaged 8.1% of budget over FY2024-26 (state median 7.3%); debt 0.23% of property value with voter-approved debt at half weight (0.32% before; median 0.70%); debt payments inside the tax cap 1.7% of budget (median 1.3%). Voter-approved amounts exceed its general-fund debt payments (often regional school debt), so the state median share is used.
Why this chance of an override vote
Chance of an override vote: High (6 pts): little room under the tax cap (0.65% of max levy, +2); override vote since July 2016, latest 2026-05 (+2); voter-approved debt or capital increase passed since July 2021 (+1); school spending grew 3.9%/yr vs 3.2%/yr for the tax cap limit, FY2020-2025 (+1).
Context, not scored
Teacher jobs -0.2% last year; enrollment +7% over 5 yrs; regional district shared with 2 towns; tax bill 4.4% of median income (state median 6.4%).
"pts" are points toward the chance of an override vote. Max levy is the most the town can raise without a vote under Prop 2½. See how the budget grade works.
Override votes since July 2016
| Vote date | Result | Amount | Purpose (as listed by DLS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2026 | Passed | $348,050 | Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District |
| May 12, 2026 | Passed | $44,147 | Cape Cod Regional Technical High School |
| May 12, 2026 | Passed | $1,707,803 | Town Of Dennis General Fund Operating Budget |
Source: MA DLS Proposition 2½ override vote file, as of 25 Oct 2026. One ballot can carry several questions.
See this town in the full data table →