Massachusetts sales tax
At a glance
| State sales tax | 6.25 % |
|---|---|
| Local taxes | No local sales tax. |
Average combined rate
Only the state rate is known here: 6.25 %. Rank 29 of 51, highest first.
Example
An item with a $100 tag costs $106.25 with 6.25 % tax.
Clothing and shoes
Only the part of an item's price above $175 is taxed. Below that, clothing is exempt.
Food and drink
| Groceries | Exempt from state tax, and from local tax |
|---|---|
| Prepared food and restaurants | Taxed at the regular rate * |
| Candy | Exempt from state tax, and from local tax * |
| Soft drinks | Exempt from state tax, and from local tax * |
| Alcohol | Exempt from state tax, and from local tax * |
| Over-the-counter medicine | Taxed at the regular rate * |
* Depends on details a price tag does not show (hot or cold, packaging, local options). Treat it as an estimate.
Tax-free days
Dates change every year; the app shows the next one.
- Sales tax holiday, Aug 8–9, 2026
Most personal-use retail items (clothing is also exempt up to $175 all year round)
Neighbouring states
| State | Average rate |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | 6.35 % |
| New Hampshire | 0 % |
| New York | 8.24 % |
| Rhode Island | 7 % |
| Vermont | 6.22 % |
Official sources
- www.mass.gov/guides/sales-and-use-tax
- budget.digital.mass.gov/govbudget/fy25/tax-expenditure-budget/sales-tax/exempt-products-services/3-103/
- www.mass.gov/regulations/830-CMR-64h65-sales-tax-on-meals
- www.mass.gov/technical-information-release/tir-10-24-repeal-of-sales-tax-on-alcoholic-beverages
- www.mass.gov/directive/directive-86-32-over-the-counter-medicine-sold-on-a-doctors-prescription
- www.mass.gov/info-details/sales-tax-holiday-frequently-asked-questions
Rules as of 2026-10-04. These pages summarise the rules Summalo uses. They are estimates, not tax advice. At the register, the store's receipt is what counts.
Summalo applies these rules to the price tag you scan, offline.