Harvard, MA: town finances
Thin savings (3.9% of budget vs 7.3% typical); 4 override votes since 2016; another override vote likely.
Budget grade
Better than 11% of MA towns · score 62 of 100
± Borderline: the score is within 2 points of the C/D cutoff, so a small change in the data could move the budget grade.
Ability to pay
Top 25% for income and property value
Shown separately; not part of the budget grade. Income per resident $81,992 (Census ACS 2020-24); property value (EQV) per resident $277,270 (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 | Harvard | Median MA town |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tax bill, FY2026 (average single-family) | $14,562 | $6,755 |
| Tax bill as a share of median household income | 6.8% | 6.4% |
| Tax bill growth per year, FY2016-26 | 4.26% | 3.95% |
| Override vote dates, last 5 years | Yes (3 votes, 1 split) | 35% of towns had one |
| Savings (reserves), % of budget, FY2024-26 average | 3.9% | 7.3% |
| Debt, % of property value, FY2023-25 (voter-approved debt at half weight) | 1.49% | 0.70% |
| Debt payments inside the tax cap, % of budget | 1.6% | 1.3% |
| Unused room under the tax cap, FY2026 (% of max levy) | 0.06% | 0.34% |
| School enrollment, 5-year change | 0% | -2% |
| Students per teacher, 2025-26 | 11.4 | 11.4 |
| Median single-family sale price, 2024 | $1.0M (37 sales) | $614k |
| Single-family price change, 2019-24 | +61.3% | +52.8% |
| Median household income (Census, 2020-24) | $213,996 | $113,750 |
| Population (DLS) | 6,870 | 10,585 |
Main school district: Harvard. 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 D, weak (62/100, near the C/D line; better than 11% of MA towns): reserves averaged 3.9% of budget over FY2024-26 (state median 7.3%); debt 1.49% of property value with voter-approved debt at half weight (2.59% before; median 0.70%); debt payments inside the tax cap 1.6% of budget (median 1.3%). 85% of debt payments are voter-approved and paid outside the cap.
Why this chance of an override vote
Chance of an override vote: High (6 pts): almost no unused room under the tax cap (0.06% of max levy, +3); override votes since July 2016, latest 2026-05 (+2); voter-approved debt or capital increase passed since July 2021 (+1).
Context, not scored
Teacher jobs +1.2% last year; enrollment 0% over 5 yrs; tax bill 6.8% 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 5, 2026 | Passed | $135,370 | General Operating Override |
| May 6, 2025 | Passed | $1,374,389 | General Operating Override |
| Apr 9, 2024 | Failed | $329,062 | General Operating Override |
| Apr 9, 2024 | Passed | $423,902 | General Operating Override |
| Jun 23, 2020 | Failed | $32,000 | Funding Town And School 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 →