Massachusetts combines a 5% income tax, a 4% surtax on income above $1 million, and one of the lowest estate-tax thresholds in the country. Florida has none of the three. Add a nonstop flight from Logan that's shorter than the drive to the Cape on a Friday, and the decision usually makes itself.
What changes when you leave Massachusetts for Florida
| Massachusetts | Florida (Boca Raton) | |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 5% flat, plus 4% surtax on income over $1 million (9% effective at the top) | None |
| Estate tax | Yes, with a $2 million exemption | No estate or inheritance tax |
| Property tax | Varies by town; Weston, Wellesley and Boston bills are substantial | Millage a bit under 2% of taxable value; homestead exemption and 3% Save Our Homes cap on primary residences |
| Flight | — | BOS–PBI and BOS–FLL nonstops in about 3 hours 15 minutes, many daily |
Rounded figures; confirm with your CPA. Massachusetts applies a 183-day statutory-residency test if you keep a permanent place of abode; see how to establish Florida residency.
Where Massachusetts families settle in Boca Raton
From Back Bay, Beacon Hill and the Seaport
Urban buyers choose the Golden Triangle, three blocks from Mizner Park, or the oceanfront and Intracoastal condominiums along A1A.
From Wellesley, Weston, Dover and Newton
Club families settle at St Andrews Country Club and the gated club communities; The Country Club and Wellesley Country Club members find the culture familiar.
From Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and the North Shore
Boaters go to Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, where deep-water docks sit minutes from the Boca Inlet, or Lake Rogers Isle on the Intracoastal. Both offer something the Cape can't: twelve months of boating weather.
Community notes
- Health care: Boca Raton Regional Hospital (Baptist Health) and the Lynn Cancer Institute; Cleveland Clinic Florida and the University of Miami system are in the region.
- Schools: Saint Andrew's School, Pine Crest, Grandview Prep; Boca Raton Community High and Spanish River High in the public system; FAU's High School laboratory program.
- Culture: the Boca Raton Museum of Art, Mizner Park Amphitheater, the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, and Delray Beach's Atlantic Avenue.
Why Boca Raton, specifically
South Florida has a dozen luxury markets. Relocating families keep choosing Boca Raton because it combines things the others split up: a real downtown (Mizner Park, Royal Palm Place, the Boca Raton Museum of Art and The Boca Raton resort), five miles of mostly uncrowded beach, a dense cluster of private golf and yacht clubs, strong public and private schools, two international airports within about 30 minutes, a Brightline station for Miami and Orlando, and an executive airport for private aviation right in the city.
East Boca Raton, east of I-95 and especially east of Federal Highway, is where most relocating buyers at the top of the market settle: the deep-water estates of Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, the Intracoastal homes of Lake Rogers Isle, the walkable Golden Triangle, the private-club life at St Andrews Country Club, and the oceanfront and Intracoastal condominiums along A1A and downtown.
How a long-distance purchase works with Ricky
- A call before you fly. Where you're coming from, who's moving, timing, club and school priorities, and whether you want a primary residence, a seasonal home or both.
- A curated tour, not a scavenger hunt. Ricky previews homes in advance, including quiet off-market opportunities, and builds a one- or two-day itinerary around your flights into PBI or FLL.
- Introductions that take months on your own. Club membership directors, school admissions, builders and architects, insurance brokers who understand coastal property, and CPAs and attorneys experienced with domicile changes.
- Closing from a distance. Remote notarization, inspections and walk-throughs are routine for out-of-state buyers; Ricky manages the moving parts so you don't have to be here for every step.
This page is general information for people considering a move to Boca Raton. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. Rates, exemptions and deadlines change; verify current figures with a CPA or attorney licensed in the states involved.
