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West Stockbridge, MA: town finances
Low debt and modest savings (6.6% of budget); override vote unlikely despite school costs outpacing the tax cap.
Budget grade
Better than 52% of MA towns · score 80 of 100
± Borderline: the score is within 2 points of the B/C cutoff, so a small change in the data could move the budget grade.
Ability to pay
Top 10% for income; second homes inflate property value here
Shown separately; not part of the budget grade. Income per resident $88,753 (Census ACS 2020-24); property value (EQV) per resident $495,246 (DLS 2024).
Chance of an override vote
1 point on our 0-8 scale: Low 0-2, Medium 3-4, High 5+. It ranks towns; it is not a percentage.
Key numbers
| Measure | West Stockbridge | Median MA town |
|---|---|---|
| Typical tax bill, FY2026 (average single-family) | $6,943 | $6,755 |
| Tax bill as a share of median household income | 6.5% | 6.4% |
| Tax bill growth per year, FY2016-26 | 3.16% | 3.95% |
| Override vote dates, last 5 years | No | 35% of towns had one |
| Savings (reserves), % of budget, FY2024-26 average | 6.6% | 7.3% |
| Debt, % of property value, FY2023-25 (voter-approved debt at half weight) | 0.35% | 0.70% |
| Debt payments inside the tax cap, % of budget | 2.5% | 1.3% |
| Unused room under the tax cap, FY2026 (% of max levy) | 11.76% | 0.34% |
| School enrollment, 5-year change | -7% | -2% |
| Students per teacher, 2025-26 | 9.3 | 11.4 |
| Median single-family sale price, 2024 | $505k (14 sales) | $614k |
| Single-family price change, 2019-24 | +8.6% | +52.8% |
| Median household income (Census, 2020-24) | $107,083 | $113,750 |
| Population (DLS) | 1,329 | 10,585 |
Main school district: Berkshire Hills (regional district shared with 3 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 (80/100, near the B/C line; better than 52% of MA towns): reserves averaged 6.6% of budget over FY2024-26 (state median 7.3%); debt 0.35% of property value with voter-approved debt at half weight (0.42% before; median 0.70%); debt payments inside the tax cap 2.5% of budget (median 1.3%). 31% of debt payments are voter-approved and paid outside the cap. Small town: figures are volatile, and its score is pulled toward the state median.
Why this chance of an override vote
Chance of an override vote: Low (1 pt): school spending grew 3.4%/yr vs 3.4%/yr for the tax cap limit, FY2020-2025 (+1).
Context, not scored
Teacher jobs -2.2% last year; enrollment -7% over 5 yrs; regional district shared with 3 towns; tax bill 6.5% 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.
See this town in the full data table →
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