Provincetown, MA: town finances
Low debt and solid savings (8.3% of budget); 6 override votes since 2016; another routine override vote likely.
Budget grade
Better than 63% of MA towns · score 83 of 100
Ability to pay
Top 5% for income; second homes inflate property value here
Shown separately; not part of the budget grade. Income per resident $91,730 (Census ACS 2020-24); property value (EQV) per resident $1,574,301 (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.
High · routine: Provincetown votes on overrides most years and usually passes them, so a vote is likely, but it signals habit, not distress. More on Cape Cod
Key numbers
| Measure | Provincetown | Median MA town |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tax bill, FY2026 (average single-family) | $11,185 | $6,755 |
| Tax bill as a share of median household income | 8.2% | 6.4% |
| Tax bill growth per year, FY2022-26 | 8.45% | 3.95% |
| Override vote dates, last 5 years | Yes (4 votes, 1 failed) | 35% of towns had one |
| Savings (reserves), % of budget, FY2024-26 average | 8.3% | 7.3% |
| Debt, % of property value, FY2023-25 (voter-approved debt at half weight) | 0.84% | 0.70% |
| Debt payments inside the tax cap, % of budget | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| Unused room under the tax cap, FY2026 (% of max levy) | 0.38% | 0.34% |
| School enrollment, 5-year change | +4% | -2% |
| Students per teacher, 2025-26 | 6.2 | 11.4 |
| Median single-family sale price, 2024 | $2.0M (22 sales) | $614k |
| Single-family price change, 2019-24 | +105.8% | +52.8% |
| Median household income (Census, 2020-24) | $136,904 | $113,750 |
| Population (DLS) | 3,723 | 10,585 |
Main school district: Provincetown. 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 (83/100; better than 63% of MA towns): reserves averaged 8.3% of budget over FY2024-26 (state median 7.3%); debt 0.84% of property value with voter-approved debt at half weight (1.48% before; median 0.70%); debt payments inside the tax cap 0.9% of budget (median 1.3%). 86% 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 (0.38% of max levy, +3); override votes since July 2016, latest 2026-05 (+2); voter-approved debt or capital increase passed since July 2021 (+1). Routine Cape voter: 7 of 8 override questions passed since July 2016, so High here means a habit of votes, not distress.
Context, not scored
Teacher jobs +18.4% last year; enrollment +4% over 5 yrs; tax bill 8.2% 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 | Failed | $332,000 | Minimum Revenue Guaretee |
| May 13, 2025 | Passed | $1,412,853 | Fire And Emergency Medical Services Department |
| May 14, 2024 | Passed | $373,342 | Assess An Additional $373,342 In Real Estate And Personal Property Taxes For The Purpose Of Funding The Provincetown Schools Early Learning Center |
| May 9, 2023 | Passed | $1,058,476 | Funding The Transition To A Full-Time Combination Fire And Emergency Medical Services Department |
| May 11, 2021 | Passed | $136,000 | Creation Of Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Office (Dei) |
| May 30, 2018 | Passed | $100,000 | Pay For 3&4 Year Old Preschool |
| May 30, 2018 | Passed | $88,000 | Provide Wee Care For Infants And Toddlers |
| May 30, 2018 | Passed | $120,000 | Pay For Universal 4&5 Year Old Prekindergarten |
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 →