New Hampshire property tax rates are set town by town and vary enormously across the state. Based on the 2025 certified rates, total rates for populated municipalities ran from roughly $5 per $1,000 of assessed value in some smaller towns to over $34 per $1,000 in cities such as Keene and Berlin.1New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. 2025 Municipal Tax Rates Because the state has no general sales tax and no income tax on wages, local governments rely on property taxes to fund schools, roads, police, and other services, so what your town votes to spend each year drives what you pay.
Where to Find Your Town’s Certified Rate
The Department of Revenue Administration (DRA) publishes the official certified tax rate for every municipality on its website. The Municipal and Property Division posts downloadable rate sheets that list each of the four components of the rate along with the combined total.2New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. Municipal and Village District Tax Rates and Other Data These are the certified numbers, not estimates, and they are updated as the annual certification process finishes for each town.
If the figure on your tax bill doesn’t match the DRA’s published rate, contact your local tax collector. Discrepancies are uncommon but can occur when bills are printed before the final rate is certified.
Why Rates Vary So Much From Town to Town
Every New Hampshire property tax rate is built from four separate components, each funding a different level of government:
- The municipal rate covers your town or city government, including public works, administrative salaries, and general operations.
- The county rate pays for regional services like the county sheriff’s department, the county house of corrections, and the county’s share of social services.
- The local school rate is typically the largest slice, funding your local school district on the budget voters approved.
- The statewide education property tax (SWEPT) is a uniform state rate assessed on all property and collected locally for education funding.3NH Department of Revenue Administration. Statewide Education Property Tax
The SWEPT portion is the only piece set at the state level. The commissioner of revenue administration sets it each year at a level designed to generate $363 million statewide, spreading the burden across every municipality based on its tax base.4New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 76:3 – Education Tax For the 2025 tax year, SWEPT was $1.11 per $1,000 of assessed value.1New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. 2025 Municipal Tax Rates The other three pieces are local.
The big differences between towns come down to a simple ratio: what the community spends divided by how much taxable property it has to spread the cost across. A small city with an expensive school system and modest property values ends up with a high rate. A lakefront town with pricey homes and a lean budget can get away with a much lower one. A handful of unincorporated places show a rate of zero because they have virtually no residents and nothing to fund.
How the Rate Is Set
The DRA computes and certifies the tax rate for every town, city, and unincorporated place. The commissioner reviews each municipality’s approved appropriations and revenues to confirm they comply with statute before setting the rate.5New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. Understanding NH Property Taxes
The math is straightforward. Once voters approve the annual budget at town meeting or a municipal election, officials subtract all non-tax revenue (motor vehicle fees, state grants, other income) from the total appropriation. What’s left has to come from property taxes. That figure is divided by the town’s total assessed property value, then multiplied by 1,000 to produce the rate per $1,000 of valuation.5New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. Understanding NH Property Taxes
Calculating Your Tax Bill
Take your assessed value, divide by 1,000, and multiply by your combined rate. A home assessed at $300,000 in a town with a $22.00 combined rate produces an annual bill of $6,600 ($300,000 ÷ 1,000 × $22.00). Any exemptions or credits you qualify for come off that amount.
One thing to watch when comparing towns: a low rate doesn’t always mean a low tax bill. A $15 rate applied to a $600,000 home produces the same $9,000 bill as a $30 rate on a $300,000 home. The rate only means something alongside the assessed value it’s being applied to.
Assessed Value, Revaluations, and the Equalization Ratio
Your tax is based on assessed value, not the price you paid or what a listing says your home is worth today. Assessors look at property features, comparable sales, and physical characteristics to arrive at a valuation meant to represent full and true market value. Every municipality must conduct a full revaluation of all properties at least once every five years, which keeps assessments from drifting too far from reality as the market moves.6New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 75:8-a – Five-Year Valuation
Between revaluations your assessment generally stays put. In a rising market that means your assessed value can lag well below what the home would actually sell for; in a falling market, it can sit above current prices. The DRA calculates an equalization ratio for every municipality each year to measure how closely a town’s assessments track market value, and it uses those ratios to distribute county and state education taxes fairly across towns on different revaluation schedules.7New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 21-J:3 – Duties of Commissioner A ratio of 100% means assessments match market value; 70% means properties are assessed at 70 cents on the dollar; above 100% means assessments sit above current market values. The DRA publishes these annually in its equalization survey.8New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration. 2024 Equalization Survey Not Including Utilities and Railroad
One date to know: the tax year runs from April 1 through March 31, and both your property’s value and your ownership status are fixed as of April 1. Buy on April 2, and you won’t appear on the tax rolls until the following year.
When Bills Arrive
Most New Hampshire municipalities bill semi-annually under RSA 76:15-a. The first bill is due July 1 and the second December 1.9New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 76:15-a – Semi-Annual Collection of Taxes in Certain Towns and Cities The July bill is an estimate equal to half of last year’s total. The December bill reflects the newly certified rate for the current year, adjusted for whatever you already paid in July. A few municipalities still bill once a year, so confirm the schedule with your tax collector.
Programs That Reduce What You Pay
New Hampshire has several programs that can meaningfully lower your tax bill if you qualify. You generally have to apply; the town won’t offer relief on its own.
Veterans’ Tax Credit
The state provides a standard veterans’ tax credit of $50 per year for qualifying veterans, their spouses, or surviving spouses. Generally you need at least 90 days of active duty during a qualifying war or armed conflict and an honorable discharge. Veterans discharged due to a service-connected disability also qualify, regardless of length of service.10New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 72:28 – Standard and Optional Veterans Tax Credit The $50 is a floor. Municipalities can adopt a higher optional credit, and many have; credits of $500 to $750 are common. Applications are typically due by April 15 of the tax year.
Elderly Exemption
Homeowners 65 or older may qualify for an exemption that reduces the property’s assessed value before the tax rate is applied. The state sets minimum thresholds: net income of $13,400 or less for a single person ($20,400 for a married couple) and net assets of no more than $35,000 excluding your home and up to two acres. You must have lived in New Hampshire for at least three consecutive years.11New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 72:39-a – Conditions for Elderly Exemption Each municipality votes on its own income limits, asset limits, and exemption amounts, and most set them well above those statutory minimums. The exemption typically grows with age. Ask your assessing office for the figures your town uses.
Low and Moderate Income Homeowners Property Tax Relief
This state-administered program refunds part of the SWEPT portion of your bill. You must own and occupy a primary residence and meet income limits: adjusted gross income of $37,000 or less if single, or $47,000 or less if married or filing as head of a New Hampshire household.12NH Department of Revenue Administration. Low and Moderate Income Homeowners Property Tax Relief Applications go to the DRA, not your town hall.
Abatement for an Over-Assessment
If you have concrete evidence that your property is assessed above market value or disproportionately to similar properties, you can file a written abatement application with your town’s selectmen or assessors. For most municipalities the deadline is March 1 following the mailing of the final tax bill; if the final bill goes out after December 31, you have two months from the mailing date. The application must explain specifically why the assessment is wrong, and comparable sales or an independent appraisal help. The municipality has until July 1 to respond in writing; silence by that date counts as a denial.13New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 76:16 – Abatement A denial can be appealed to the Board of Tax and Land Appeals or Superior Court, but not both.14Board of Tax and Land Appeals. Property Tax