For most Dudley households, the property tax bill is the single largest local government cost paid directly. That bill is the product of two numbers set through separate town processes: the tax rate, set annually by the Board of Selectmen on the recommendation of the Board of Assessors, and the assessed value of a property, set by the Assessor’s office.
Dudley has historically used a single, uniform tax rate rather than shifting a larger share onto commercial and industrial property owners — a choice the town revisits every December at its Classification Hearing.
Who Decides This in Dudley
- Sets the tax rate: Board of Assessors recommends; Board of Selectmen votes, at the annual Classification Hearing each December.
- Builds the budget: Town Administrator, with department heads.
- Reviews and recommends the budget: Finance, Appropriation & Advisory Committee.
- Approves the budget: Registered voters, at Annual Town Meeting.
The Numbers — FY2026
| Tax rate | $10.06 per $1,000 of assessed value |
| Average single-family tax bill | $4,526 |
| Statewide rank | 47th-lowest rate of 351 Massachusetts cities and towns |
| Residential share of tax levy | 93.5% |
| Average single-family assessed value | $449,928 |
| Residential factor | 1.00 (single, unshifted rate) |
Source: Town of Dudley Board of Assessors, FY2026 Classification Hearing Presentation, Dec. 1, 2025, certified by the MA Division of Local Services on 10/30/2025.
5-Year Tax Rate History
| Fiscal Year | Tax Rate per $1,000 |
|---|---|
| FY2022 | $11.70 |
| FY2023 | $10.16 |
| FY2024 | $10.48 |
| FY2025 | $10.57 |
| FY2026 | $10.06 |
How Dudley Compares to Neighboring Towns
| Town | Rate | Avg. Bill | Residential Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dudley | $10.06 | $4,526 | 93.5% |
| Charlton | $11.13 | $5,161 | 71.4% |
| Leicester | $11.77 | $4,790 | 87.3% |
| Webster | $11.88 | $5,141 | 85.6% |
| Oxford | $12.67 | $5,170 | 81.2% |
| Douglas | $13.17 | $6,193 | 85.3% |
| Southbridge | $14.66 | $4,830 | 82.2% |
| Sturbridge | $15.93 | $7,691 | 84.8% |
Neighboring-town figures are FY2025 rates, the latest available at the time of Dudley’s FY2026 hearing.
Where the FY2027 Budget Goes
At the May 18, 2026 Annual Town Meeting, voters were asked to approve a $31,027,502 town budget, funded by $17.6 million in property taxes, $2.4 million in state aid, $3.9 million in local receipts, and roughly $831,000 drawn from stabilization funds.
- $13,000,000 — Dudley-Charlton Regional School District assessment
- $1,200,000 — Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School assessment
- $2,300,000 — Water Department
- $2,400,000 — Sewer Department
The two school assessments together account for roughly 46% of the total town budget — typical for a Massachusetts town of Dudley’s size, where regional school assessments are usually the largest single line item.
How to Follow the Process
- December — Board of Assessors holds the annual Classification Hearing; Selectmen vote on the residential factor.
- Winter/Spring — Town Administrator and department heads build the operating budget; Finance Committee reviews it line by line.
- Last Monday in May — Annual Town Meeting: registered voters review and vote on the budget and all warrant articles directly.
- Fall — A second Town Meeting session handles additional financial articles.
Sources & Public Documents
- FY2026 Classification Hearing Presentation — Dudley Board of Assessors
- FY2027 Annual Town Meeting Warrant Summary — Town of Dudley
- Citizen’s Guide to Town Meeting — Town of Dudley
- FY2026 Tax Levies, Assessed Values & Tax Rates — MA Division of Local Services
- Board of Selectmen — meeting schedule & agendas
- Finance, Appropriation & Advisory Committee