An older construction date is a reason to investigate lead-paint records, not a result for the individual home. A buyer needs the relevant disclosures and documents tied to the property, together with qualified advice about any unresolved questions. Appearance, recent painting and a general inspection summary cannot replace that evidence.
Which disclosure and history records should you request?
Massachusetts publishes property-transfer lead notification guidance and a way to search available lead history. Obtain the transaction's required documents and any inspection reports or compliance records associated with the property. Match the address, units, dates and scope carefully. A database search can help locate evidence, but an absent result does not establish that the home has no lead-related issue. Ask the responsible program or qualified professional about the meaning of the documents supplied.
How should building age be used?
The median construction years below describe single-family housing in selected towns. They do not identify which surfaces in a particular house contain lead or whether previous work addressed them. A two-family or other multi-unit property may also have different histories across units and common areas. Request documentation of relevant work and distinguish cosmetic changes from formal inspection or compliance evidence. The buyer should understand the actual scope of the record rather than infer a result from a renovated appearance.
What belongs in the purchase decision?
Discuss the intended occupancy and applicable requirements with qualified advisers, then identify any testing, inspection or work needed to resolve the question. Obtain written scope and cost information where work is proposed. Keep those needs separate from the mortgage payment and ordinary decorating budget. If the property will be rented, include the relevant obligations in the operating review. The objective is a documented understanding of the building and its requirements, without using household characteristics or a town's age profile as a shortcut to a conclusion.
What does the local record show?
These towns provide local context for the decision in this article. The figures describe the published records and survey periods identified below. Compare the same measures across places, then confirm the details of any actual home before using them in a budget or offer.
Local Figures for This Decision
Download CSV, same columns, same definitions
Selected municipalities, shown alphabetically. Definitions below distinguish assessments, administrative benchmarks and survey estimates from current market quotes.
| Town | Median Year Built | Single-family Assessment | Two-family Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | 1939 | $246,850 | $206,100 |
| Holyoke | 1950 | $262,450 | $278,700 |
| Springfield | 1951 | $267,900 | $312,200 |
What These Columns Mean
- Town
- Municipality; follow its record below for the full data and address check.
- Median Year Built
- Middle recorded construction year of single-family homes in the assessment data. It describes building age, not renovation date, condition, lead status or energy performance.
- Single-family Assessment
- Median assessed value of single-family parcels. This is a tax-roll statistic, not an asking price, appraisal or median sale price. Assessment years are identified in the sources.
- Two-family Assessment
- Median assessed value of parcels classified as two-family. A tax classification does not certify lawful occupancy, current rents, vacant possession or a second unit's permit status.
Cite: RE413. “Local Figures for This Decision.” Updated September 19, 2026. https://www.re413.com/news/lead-paint-before-buying-massachusetts/, underlying sources at https://www.re413.com/sources/.
Adams's town record. Median year built: 1939. Single-family assessment: $246,850. Two-family assessment: $206,100.
Holyoke's town record. Median year built: 1950. Single-family assessment: $262,450. Two-family assessment: $278,700.
Springfield's town record. Median year built: 1951. Single-family assessment: $267,900. Two-family assessment: $312,200.
What should you check next?
- Obtain the relevant transfer documents and available inspection or compliance history for the exact property and units.
- Check dates and scope, and treat an absent online record as an unresolved question.
- Seek qualified guidance on intended occupancy and any necessary work, with costs and responsibilities documented before purchase.
Keep the address, document date and source alongside each answer. If records disagree, identify which period and property each describes before treating the difference as a change. A missing result leaves a question open; it does not establish that a property has no problem or no cost.
Where can you continue the comparison?
- Planning property-condition checks
- Additional multi-unit purchase questions
- Matching the correct building record
Browse all housing guides by subject.
Open the linked town records for the wider context, including sources and dates. Use the property-specific records to narrow a decision, and keep current quotes separate from the historical figures used to explain it here.
Which official guidance supports this article?
- Massachusetts: property transfer lead paint notification. Guidance checked 2026-09-05; confirm current requirements for your transaction.
- Massachusetts: find a home's lead history. Guidance checked 2026-09-05; confirm current requirements for your transaction.
Sources
- MassGIS and municipal assessors. median year built, single-family assessment, two-family assessment. Figures through Adams: FY2026; Holyoke: FY2026; Springfield: FY2026. Checked 2026-08-21.
"Figures through" is the period the publisher's data describes; "checked" is only when we last asked. The full sourcing: sources and method.