Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0Medford spent less per resident in 2022 than 100% of similar cities
Medford’s city government spent $197 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2023, about $3,173 per resident. That is its newest year reported to the Census Bureau. Water and other utilities ($24.1 million) are counted separately.
City Council Res Services & Pub Engagement Cmte
6:00 pm · 85 George P. Hassett Drive
All meetings →What stands out about how Medford is run
Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.
6 upcoming meetings at town hall
From Medford’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.
- Nov4City Council Res Services & Pub Engagement CmteWednesday · 6:00 pm · 85 George P. Hassett DriveCouncil Resident Services & Public Engagement Committee MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Nov10City CouncilTuesday · 7:00 pm · 85 George P. Hassett DriveCity Council Regular MeetingMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Nov17City CouncilTuesday · 7:00 pm · 85 George P. Hassett DriveCity Council Regular MeetingMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Dec1City CouncilTuesday · 7:00 pm · 85 George P. Hassett DriveCity Council Regular MeetingMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Dec2GeneralWednesday · 7:00 pm · Roberts Elementary School Cafeteria, 35 Court StreetCity Council Ward 2 Neighborhood MeetingMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
- Dec15City CouncilTuesday · 7:00 pm · 85 George P. Hassett DriveCity Council Regular MeetingMeeting page ↗Add to calendar
Recent meetings
- Nov2GeneralMonday · 5:00 pm · 85 George P Hassett DriveSpecial Meeting of the City Council, November 2, 2026Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct27City CouncilTuesday · 7:00 pm · 85 George P. Hassett DriveCity Council Regular MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct21City Council Public Works & Facilities CmteWednesday · 6:00 pm · 85 George P. Hassett DriveCouncil Public Works & Facilities Cmte MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct21GeneralWednesday · 5:45 pm · Council Chambers, 95 George P Hassett DriveSpecial Meeting of the City CouncilAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
- Oct20GeneralTuesday · 7:00 pm · Missituk Elementary School Cafeteria, 37 Hicks AvenueCity Council Ward 5 Neighborhood MeetingMeeting page ↗
Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.
Agenda portal ↗About $3,173 per resident a year, or $8.69 a day
Schools are part of the city’s budget, so they lead the receipt: 58% of day-to-day spending.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Medford runs its own schools, so school spending is part of this budget. Comparisons are with Massachusetts cities of 50,000–99,999 that run their own schools.
$3,184 per resident in 2022: less than 100% of them
Medford’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($3,184 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 18 Massachusetts cities of 50,000–99,999 that run their own schools: the median was $4,282, and the middle half spent $3,970–$4,965. Medford spent less than 100% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($7.1 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Massachusetts cities of 50,000–99,999 that run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Medford itself left out).
Day-to-day spending is up 2% since 2022
Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Medford reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.
Day-to-day spending by fiscal year
Per resident: 2022: $3,184 · 2023: $3,173.
Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.
The typical homeowner pays $6,286 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.83% of the home’s value, vs 1.07% across Massachusetts.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Medford’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.
Tax bills are one input to Medford’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Medford →
Who’s in charge in Medford
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
One full-time city employee for every 48 residents
On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (a Census estimate). Residents: the Census population in the 2023 finance file (62,098).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Medford School District
Medford’s K–12 school district. The schools are run by Medford, so this money is part of the budget above.
Of the $24,749 per pupil, $16,147 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Massachusetts districts overall: 49% local, 43% state, 8% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Medford voted in 2024
Official results for Medford’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat70.5%21,050 votes
Donald J TrumpRepublican26.0%7,774 votesOthers: 3.5% (1,047 votes).
Most votes in Medford: Kamala D Harris
Middlesex County: Harris 68.0%, Trump 28.9% · Massachusetts: Harris 61.2%, Trump 36.0%
of Medford’s 45,855 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Massachusetts: 67%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Medford: Elizabeth Ann Warren
Middlesex County: Warren 66.5%, Deaton 33.3% · Massachusetts: Warren 59.8%, Deaton 40.0%
Most votes in the district: Katherine M Clark
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Medford, its county and the state
| Harris | Trump | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medford | 70.5% | 26.0% | 3.5% | 29,871 |
| Middlesex County | 68.0% | 28.9% | 3.1% | 814,832 |
| Massachusetts | 61.2% | 36.0% | 2.8% | 3,473,668 |
Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Medford.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilOfficials: medford.org ↗
- 2Massachusetts HouseMedford is split between 3 districts
- 3Massachusetts SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Massachusetts
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Medford compares with the towns next door
Medford spent $3,184 per resident in 2022; the 6 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $3,258 to $6,171. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Malden | $3,258 runs schools | $4,995 |
| Stoneham | $3,616 runs schools | $6,523 |
| Somerville | $4,039 runs schools | $6,186 |
| Arlington | $4,437 runs schools | $9,604 |
| Everett | $5,495 runs schools | $4,880 |
| Winchester | $6,171 runs schools | $10,000+ |
| Medford | $3,184 | $6,286 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Medford’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Medford’s government
How much does Medford spend per resident?
About $3,173 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2023, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $3,184 was less than 100% of 18 Massachusetts cities of 50,000–99,999 that run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Medford?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $6,286 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.83% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.07% across Massachusetts. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see medford.org.
Who runs Medford’s government?
See medford.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Medford yet.
How did Medford vote in 2024?
For president, Kamala D Harris 70.5%, Donald J Trump 26.0% (29,871 votes, official results). Middlesex County: Harris 68.0%, Trump 28.9%. Massachusetts: Harris 61.2%, Trump 36.0%.
How many people work for Medford?
1,287 full-time and 166 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $7.9M (about $94.4M a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.
Who represents Medford in the state legislature?
Medford is split among 3 State House districts, so your address decides. The Massachusetts Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Its State Senate district is District Second Middlesex (Pat Jehlen). Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
When is the next public meeting in Medford?
The next posted meeting is City Council Res Services & Pub Engagement Cmte on Wednesday, November 4, at 6:00 pm in 85 George P. Hassett Drive, from the city’s own agenda portal.
Ask neighbors about Medford’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →