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Reported by us | Fall River

Fall River's property tax limit rises about $5.9 million as the state certifies new growth

Business property supplied about 70% of the new growth. The City Council still has to split the levy between homes and businesses, and the new rate first shows up on the bill due Feb. 1.

By the SC360 Business and Real Estate Desk | Published Oct. 28, 2026 | Last verified Oct. 28, 2026, 8:35 a.m. ET

FALL RIVER The state has certified $132.3 million in new construction and other added value in Fall River, which puts the city's fiscal 2027 limit on property taxes at about $149.4 million under the formula in state law, roughly $5.9 million more than last year. The city has been taxing almost to the most the law allows: its fiscal 2026 levy came within $15,806 of its maximum, state Department of Revenue figures show.

The limit is the most the city may raise from property taxes before borrowing and capital spending excluded from the cap are added on top. With those, Fall River's fiscal 2026 maximum was $148,637,540, about $5.1 million above its limit of $143,490,295. The city has yet to set its fiscal 2027 rate. In each of the last two years Fall River levied within $74,000 of that maximum, and its total levy rose about $6.1 million, or about 4.3%, from fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2026, to $148,621,734.

Where the added room comes from

Under Proposition 2 1/2, a community's levy limit can grow 2.5% a year over the prior year's limit, plus new growth, which is the prior year's tax rate applied to new or improved property, plus any increase voters approve. For Fall River, the 2.5% step on last year's limit of $143,490,295 is worth about $3.59 million, and new growth adds $2,360,398, down from $2,590,507 a year earlier.

Homes and other residential property made up $62.7 million of the $132.3 million in new value but only $719,511 of the added tax, about 30%, because Fall River taxes homes at $11.48 per $1,000 of value and commercial, industrial and personal property at $23.58. The other $69.6 million in new value, business property, supplied about $1.64 million.

What homeowners have been paying

The average single-family home in Fall River was valued at $405,164 in fiscal 2026 and carried a tax bill of $4,651, up from $4,415 in fiscal 2025 and $4,103 in fiscal 2024. That is $548 more, or about 13%, in two years. The state's figures count 9,469 single-family parcels in the city. Over the same years the residential rate went from $11.49 to $11.45 to $11.48 per $1,000, while the average value climbed from $357,122. The commercial rate fell from $23.94 to $23.58.

Separately, the City Council voted Oct. 27 to cover last winter's $3.1 million snow and ice overrun from the city's General Stabilization Fund, as SC360 reported.

What happens next

Before the state approves a rate, the law requires the City Council, with the mayor's approval, to hold a classification hearing and adopt a residential factor, which sets how the levy is split between homes and business property. As of Oct. 28, the state's tax rate data lists no fiscal 2027 rate for Fall River.

Fall River bills property taxes quarterly, with payments due Feb. 1, May 1, Aug. 1 and Nov. 1, according to the city collector. Under state law, the August and November payments are a preliminary tax, which may not exceed half of 102.5% of the prior year's tax. The actual bill, issued once the rate is set, is due in two installments on Feb. 1 and May 1, so the payment due Feb. 1 is the first to carry the fiscal 2027 rate.

Questions about values, abatements and exemptions go to the Assessor's Office at 508-324-2300. The Collector's Office is in Room 212 at One Government Center, 508-324-2240, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. Interest runs at 14% a year on late payments, and the city does not accept postmarks as proof of payment on time.

Elsewhere on the South Coast

Three other South Coast communities have fiscal 2027 new growth certified. Somerset's $27.4 million in new value adds $450,600 to its limit, down from $687,038 a year earlier. Mattapoisett's $51.7 million adds $528,910, up from $505,344. Rochester added $260,611 and is the only South Coast community with a fiscal 2027 rate so far, $10.62 per $1,000.

Somerset taxes well below its maximum. Its fiscal 2026 levy of $55,363,766 fell $19,182,526 short of that maximum, a gap equal to about 26% of the most it could have raised, by the state's figures. Mattapoisett left $47,509 unused. New Bedford, which has no fiscal 2027 new growth figure yet, left $12,280,564, about 7% of its maximum.

Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.

Notes

Every fact comes from public records: the Department of Revenue Division of Local Services New Growth, Excess Levy Capacity, Average Single Family Tax Bill and Tax Rates by Class reports (data current as of Oct. 28), the City of Fall River collector's pages, and Mass. General Laws c. 59, s. 21C, c. 40, s. 56 and c. 59, s. 57C. We read them on Oct. 28. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar: Nov. 1, 2026 is a Sunday and Feb. 1, 2027 is a Monday. The fiscal 2027 limit of about $149.4 million is our arithmetic under the law's formula (102.5% of $143,490,295 plus $2,360,398 in new growth); the same formula reproduces the state's fiscal 2026 limit to the dollar. The other changes and percentages are also our arithmetic from the state's figures. No other news outlet is a source for this story.

Corrections

No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.

Sources (10)

  1. New Growth (Division of Local Services)Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services. Data current as of 10/28/2026. Fall River FY2027: residential new growth value $62,675,216 ($719,511 applied), total $132,263,334 ($2,360,398 applied), residential 30.48% of new growth, prior year's levy limit $143,490,295; FY2026 total $145,843,662 ($2,590,507). Somerset FY2027 $27,384,630 ($450,600), FY2026 $687,038 applied. Mattapoisett FY2027 $51,651,347 ($528,910), FY2026 $505,344. Rochester FY2027 $260,611 applied. Other South Coast communities show no FY2027 figures. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  2. Excess Levy Capacity and Override Capacity (Division of Local Services)Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services. Data current as of 10/28/2026. Fall River FY2026: levy limit $143,490,295, maximum levy $148,637,540, total levy $148,621,734, excess $15,806 (0.01%); FY2025: limit $137,463,208, maximum $142,624,675, levy $142,550,803, excess $73,872. Somerset FY2026: maximum $74,546,292, levy $55,363,766, excess $19,182,526 (25.73%). Mattapoisett FY2026 excess $47,509. New Bedford FY2026 excess $12,280,564 (7.14%). Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  3. Average Single Family Tax Bill (Division of Local Services)Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services. Data current as of 10/28/2026. Fall River: FY2026 average value $405,164, bill $4,651, 9,469 parcels; FY2025 $385,589, $4,415; FY2024 $357,122, $4,103. No FY2027 row yet. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  4. Tax Rates by Class (Division of Local Services)Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services. Data current as of 10/28/2026. Fall River residential and commercial, industrial and personal property: FY2024 $11.49 and $23.94; FY2025 $11.45 and $23.83; FY2026 $11.48 and $23.58; no FY2027 rate. Rochester FY2027 $10.62, the only South Coast community with a FY2027 rate. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  5. Fall River Government Television: 10.27.2026 Fall River City CouncilThe council adopted the $3,107,675.80 General Stabilization Fund order for the snow and ice deficit by voice vote (3:01:34 to 3:02:01). Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  6. Real Estate Tax (City of Fall River Collector)Quarterly billing, due Feb. 1, May 1, Aug. 1 and Nov. 1; 14% a year interest on late payments; postmarks not accepted; abatements and exemptions through the Assessor's Office, 508-324-2300. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  7. Collector (City of Fall River)One Government Center, Room 212; 508-324-2240; in person Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  8. Mass. General Laws c. 59, s. 21C (Proposition 2 1/2)Massachusetts Legislature. Paragraph (f): total taxes may not exceed 102.5% of the prior year's maximum levy limit, plus amounts voters approve under paragraph (g), plus the prior year's rate times new or increased value (new growth). Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  9. Mass. General Laws c. 40, s. 56 (classification)Massachusetts Legislature. In a city the city council, with the mayor's approval, determines each class's share of the levy after a public hearing and first adopts a residential factor; the commissioner does not approve the rate until then. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
  10. Mass. General Laws c. 59, s. 57C (quarterly tax bills)Massachusetts Legislature. Quarterly communities: the preliminary tax is due Aug. 1 and Nov. 1 and may not exceed 50% of 102.5% of the prior year's tax; the actual bill issued once the rate is set is due Feb. 1 and May 1. Read Oct. 28, 2026.

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