Paxton, MA: town finances
Fair finances; thin savings (3.5% of budget vs 7.3% typical); 8 override votes since 2016; another override vote likely.
Budget grade
Better than 21% of MA towns · score 68 of 100
Ability to pay
Below the state median for income and property value
Shown separately; not part of the budget grade. Income per resident $56,309 (Census ACS 2020-24); property value (EQV) per resident $166,995 (DLS 2024).
Chance of an override vote
7 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 | Paxton | Median MA town |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tax bill, FY2026 (average single-family) | $7,989 | $6,755 |
| Tax bill as a share of median household income | 6.0% | 6.4% |
| Tax bill growth per year, FY2016-26 | 3.68% | 3.95% |
| Override vote dates, last 5 years | Yes (6 votes, 5 failed) | 35% of towns had one |
| Savings (reserves), % of budget, FY2024-26 average | 3.5% | 7.3% |
| Debt, % of property value, FY2023-25 (voter-approved debt at half weight) | 0.37% | 0.70% |
| Debt payments inside the tax cap, % of budget | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Unused room under the tax cap, FY2026 (% of max levy) | 0.06% | 0.34% |
| School enrollment, 5-year change | -2% | -2% |
| Students per teacher, 2025-26 | 13.1 | 11.4 |
| Median single-family sale price, 2024 | $558k (44 sales) | $614k |
| Single-family price change, 2019-24 | +52.9% | +52.8% |
| Median household income (Census, 2020-24) | $134,083 | $113,750 |
| Population (DLS) | 5,024 | 10,585 |
Main school district: Wachusett (regional district shared with 5 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 C, fair (68/100; better than 21% of MA towns): reserves averaged 3.5% of budget over FY2024-26 (state median 7.3%); debt 0.37% of property value with voter-approved debt at half weight (0.57% before; median 0.70%); debt payments inside the tax cap 1.1% 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 (7 pts): almost no unused room under the tax cap (0.06% of max levy, +3); override votes since July 2016, latest 2026-08 (+2); voter-approved debt or capital increase passed since July 2021 (+1); school spending grew 4.1%/yr vs 3.3%/yr for the tax cap limit, FY2020-2025 (+1).
Context, not scored
Teacher jobs -3.5% last year; enrollment -2% over 5 yrs; regional district shared with 5 towns; tax bill 6.0% 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 10, 2026 | Failed | $386,289 | Funding Operating Budget Of Town |
| May 11, 2026 | Failed | $640,000 | Fund Operating Budget Of Town And Public Schools |
| Sep 11, 2025 | Passed | $550,100 | To Fund Town Budget As Listed On Ballot |
| May 12, 2025 | Failed | $1,130,000 | To Fund Town And Wrsd Budgets |
| Jun 24, 2024 | Failed | $950,000 | Fund Various Departments In The Town |
| May 13, 2024 | Failed | $1,440,000 | Fund Various Departments In The Town |
| May 14, 2018 | Failed | $110,000 | Refurb Fire Dept Platform Ladder |
| May 14, 2018 | Passed | $100,000 | Fund Operating Budget |
| May 14, 2018 | Failed | $60,120 | Replace Turf At Wachusett Rsd |
| May 14, 2018 | Passed | $300,000 | Fund Wachusett Rsd Assessments |
| May 8, 2017 | Failed | $190,092 | Funding Wachusett Rsd Assessment |
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 →