Heath center
1 East Main St, Heath, MA 01346
Living in Heath, Massachusetts
Heath is a hill town in northwestern Franklin County on the Vermont line, incorporated in 1785 and named for Revolutionary War Major General William Heath. Route 8A is the town's main road, climbing to an elevation of 1,729 feet near Burnt Hill, the highest point in town. The Heath Center Historic District, around the old town common, preserves the town's 19th-century meetinghouse-and-green layout.
Heath at a glance
- $19.39Residential tax rate per $1,000, FY2026
- $5,067Average single-family tax bill, FY2026
- 25-30 minDrive to Greenfield
- FranklinCounty
Heath's villages and zip codes
Heath uses a single ZIP code, 01346, for the whole town.
| Area | Zip code | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| Heath center | 01346 | Around the historic town common on East Main Street, part of the Heath Center Historic District. |
| Dell | 01346 | A small village at the junction of Heath Brook and Mill Brook, on Route 8A near the Dell Dam. |
Things to do in Heath, MA
Start with Heath Fair and Dell Dam, then 1 more below.
Heath Fair
A small, agriculturally focused country fair held two weekends before Labor Day, with livestock, exhibits and food, run by the Heath Agricultural Society.
Heath Fairgrounds, Heath, MA
Dell Dam
A stone dam and waterfall on Heath Brook at its junction with Mill Brook, in the village of Dell along Route 8A.
Jacksonville Stage Rd (Route 8A) and Dell Rd, Heath, MA
Burnt Hill Stone Circle
A pre-Columbian stone arrangement on Burnt Hill in southeastern Heath, one of the region's known archaeological sites.
Burnt Hill, Heath, MA
Around the calendar
- AugustHeath FairAn agricultural fair held two weekends before Labor Day, run by the Heath Agricultural Society.
A little history
Heath was first settled in 1765 as part of Charlemont and was incorporated as its own town in 1785, named for Major General William Heath of the Revolutionary War.
The Leavitt family of Heath, including abolitionist Roger Leavitt, sheltered people escaping slavery, including Basil Dorsey, as part of Underground Railroad activity in town.
Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who had a summer home in Heath, delivered an early version of the Serenity Prayer at the Heath Union Church in 1934.
Parks, trails and outdoors in Heath
Heath's high, hilly terrain around Burnt Hill and its brooks running toward the North River give the town a mix of woodland and stream recreation.
- Dell DamA stone dam and small waterfall on Heath Brook in the village of Dell.
- Burnt HillThe highest point in town, in southeastern Heath, with a pre-Columbian stone circle site.
Walkability and getting around Heath
Heath center, around the historic common on East Main Street, is a small cluster of 19th-century buildings with no sidewalks; this rural, hilltop town has no walkable commercial area and requires a car to get around.
Drive times
- Greenfield, about 17 miles25-30 min
- Bradley International Airport
Approximate, without traffic.
By bus or train
Heath has no fixed-route public transit, bus service, or train station. The nearest Amtrak service is in Greenfield, about 17 miles away.
Heath property taxes
Heath's FY2026 residential tax rate is $19.39 per $1,000 of assessed value. Massachusetts assesses homes at full value, so each $100,000 of assessed value costs about $1,939 a year. The average single-family tax bill was $5,067, on an average assessed value of $261,296.
Heath's FY2026 tax rates
$19.39per $1,000, residential
- Residential$19.39 per $1,000
- Average single-family assessed value$261,296
- Average single-family tax bill$5,067
- Motor vehicle excise (statewide)$25 per $1,000 of value
Source: Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Tax Rates by Class and Average Single Family Tax Bill.
How the residential rate has changed
| Fiscal year | Residential rate |
|---|---|
| FY2022 | $21.51 |
| FY2023 | $22.88 |
| FY2024 | $20.43 |
| FY2025 | $18.81 |
| FY2026 | $19.39 |
Look up a Heath property
- FEMA flood mapWhether a lender will require flood insurance
- Town ClerkVital records and town records
- Registry of DeedsDeeds and mortgages for the county
Buying a home in Heath
What we check on a Heath purchase: MassHousing limits, the flood map, the smoke certificate, well & septic, municipal fiber.
First-time buyer programs
MassHousing sets its own income and price limits for Franklin County. We check them with you before you shop.
MassHousing home loansCheck the flood zone first
Flood zones are set address by address. We check FEMA's map before you offer.
FEMA's flood map for HeathSmoke and CO certificate
Massachusetts requires the seller to get a smoke and carbon monoxide certificate from the Heath Fire Department before the sale closes.
Every property is on a private well and septic system
Heath has no public water or sewer system, so all homes use private wells and septic systems. Massachusetts requires a Title 5 septic inspection before a home on septic can be sold, and we build that timeline into your preapproval.
Town-owned fiber broadband is available
Heath's Municipal Light Plant operates a town-owned fiber optic network, so broadband access, often a concern in rural hilltowns, is worth confirming directly for a specific address.
All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property and program requirements. MassHousing limits and eligibility are set by MassHousing and change from time to time.
Thinking about buying in Heath?
We're licensed in Massachusetts. Send us a Heath address and we'll run the numbers, taxes included.
Moving to Heath: utilities, trash and town office
Who to call in Heath: National Grid for power.
- ElectricNational Grid
- Natural gasNo natural gas service
- WaterPrivate wells; Heath has no public water system
- Sewer or septicNo town sewer system; properties use private septic systems
- Trash and recyclingHeath has no curbside collection. Residents use the town transfer station with an annual sticker, sold at the Heath Post Office, required each July 1.
- Registry of Motor VehiclesUpdate your address with the RMV within 30 days. Excise tax goes to the city or town where the car is garaged.Mass. RMV
Heath Transfer Station
123 Branch Hill Rd, Heath, MA 01346 Wednesdays 9am-5pm; Saturdays 8am-4pm
$15 per year (individual stickers $2 each), new permits required each July 1
Transfer station detailsTown Office offices and contacts
Heath Town Office is at 18 Jacobs Rd, PO Box 35, Heath, MA 01346. Main line: 413-337-4934.
- Town OfficeMain line and website413-337-4934
- Town ClerkLand records, vital records, and elections.413-337-4934
- Assessor's OfficeProperty values and assessments.413-337-4934
- Tax CollectorProperty tax billing and payment.413-337-4934
- Board of HealthSeptic (Title 5) and well permitting.413-337-4934
- Volunteer Fire DepartmentFire safety and smoke/CO certificates for home sales.413-337-4934
- Highway DepartmentRoads and town infrastructure.413-337-4934
- Building DepartmentBuilding permits and inspections.413-337-4934
- Heath Free Public LibraryThe town's public library.
- Mohawk Trail Regional School DistrictThe town's public school district (Heath Elementary, then Mohawk Trail Regional High School).
Heath, MA FAQ: taxes and town services
What is the property tax rate in Heath, MA?
Heath's FY2026 residential tax rate is $19.39 per $1,000 of assessed value. Massachusetts fiscal years run July 1 to June 30.
How much are property taxes on a $400,000 home in Heath?
Massachusetts taxes homes on their full assessed value. If a home is assessed at $400,000, that's about $7,756 a year at $19.39 per $1,000. The bill uses the assessor's value, not the sale price.
Does Heath have a split tax rate?
No. Heath uses a single rate of $19.39 per $1,000 for all property classes.
What is the average single-family tax bill in Heath?
The average single-family tax bill in Heath was $5,067 for FY2026, on an average assessed value of $261,296.
What county is Heath, MA in?
Heath is in Franklin County, Massachusetts.
What ZIP code does Heath use?
Heath uses a single ZIP code, 01346, for the whole town.
Is there curbside trash pickup in Heath?
No. Residents use the town transfer station on Branch Hill Road with an annual sticker, required each July 1.
Who supplies electricity in Heath?
National Grid is the electric utility for Heath. The town separately operates its own municipal fiber broadband network.
How far is Heath from Greenfield?
Heath is about 17 miles from Greenfield, roughly a 25-30 minute drive.
Is there public water or sewer in Heath?
No. Heath has no public water or sewer system; homes use private wells and septic systems.
Towns near Heath
Neighbors of Heath, including across the Connecticut line where it applies. All Massachusetts town guides.
Sources
- Heath, Massachusetts - Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org
- Town of Heath, MA - Contact: townofheath.org
- Town of Heath - Transfer Station: townofheath.org
- Town of Heath - Municipal Light Board: townofheath.org
- Massachusetts Electric Company (National Grid) service territory list: nationalgridus.com
- Dell Dam photo, Wikimedia Commons: commons.wikimedia.org
- Tax rates and average single-family value and tax bill: Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Tax Rates by Class and Average Single Family Tax Bill.
- Motor vehicle excise: M.G.L. c. 60A, $25 per $1,000 of value statewide.
- Walkability: Walk Score®, provided live by Walk Score.
- Photo: ToddC4176, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Checked September 25, 2026.