Estimate your New Hampshire property tax based on the state's 1.86% average effective rate. Enter your home value for an instant, free calculation.
Enter any tax exemption amount you qualify for in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has among the highest property taxes in the country because it has no broad income or sales tax — property taxes fund most of state and local government, including schools. Homes are assessed at full market value, and towns (not counties) set the rates.
New Hampshire property is assessed by municipal assessors at 100% of market value, and the state applies an equalization ratio to balance valuations between towns. Taxes are levied by municipalities, not counties: a parcel can carry up to four rates per $1,000 of value — municipal, local school, county, and the statewide education tax — combined into one bill set locally each year.
| Home Value | Estimated Annual Tax | Monthly (Escrow) |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $4,650 | $388/mo |
| $400,000 (median) | $7,440 | $620/mo |
| $600,000 | $11,160 | $930/mo |
Effective rates vary within New Hampshire. These figures are median-tax-to-median-value estimates from U.S. Census ACS data (2019–2023 ACS 5-year (SmartAsset)) for some of the most populous counties:
| County | Effective Rate |
|---|---|
| Belknap County | 1.12% |
| Rockingham County | 1.35% |
| Hillsborough County | 1.50% |
| Grafton County | 1.56% |
| Merrimack County | 1.60% |
| Strafford County | 1.64% |
| Cheshire County | 1.84% |
Among these counties, effective rates range from about 1.12% in Belknap County to 1.84% in Cheshire County. Your actual rate depends on the local mill/millage set by your county, city, and school district.
New Hampshire has no general homestead exemption for owner-occupants (the RSA 480 homestead right is creditor protection, not a tax break). Relief comes instead through locally adopted elderly, disabled, blind, and veterans' exemptions and credits, each set by the individual municipality — so eligibility and dollar amounts vary town to town.
The Elderly Exemption (adopted locally) reduces assessed value in age tiers for residents 65+ who meet local income and asset limits. The Veterans' Tax Credit is $50 standard, which towns may raise up to $750, and a service-connected total-disability credit is $700 standard, adoptable up to $4,000. Certain severely disabled veterans with a specially adapted homestead can receive a full exemption. Applications are generally due by April 15.
Most municipalities bill semiannually — a July bill (an estimate, usually half the prior year's tax) and a December bill (the final amount once the rate is set) — though some bill quarterly. Overdue taxes accrue 8% annual interest; once a tax lien is executed, unpaid amounts accrue 14% annual interest.
File an abatement application with the municipal assessing officials by March 1 following the final December bill. The town must act by July 1. If denied, appeal by September 1 to either the NH Board of Tax and Land Appeals or the county Superior Court — but not both.
New Hampshire's statewide average effective property tax rate is about 1.46% of home value, one of the highest in the nation. Because there's no personal income or general sales tax, the state leans heavily on property taxes. Actual rates vary widely by municipality, from roughly 1.1% to over 1.8% at the county level.
New Hampshire has no broad-based personal income tax and no general sales tax, so state and local governments — including schools — are funded primarily through property taxes. That pushes the median annual bill (around $6,700, among the highest three in the U.S.) far above the national average.
There's no general homestead exemption, but municipalities offer locally adopted relief: an Elderly Exemption for residents 65+ within income and asset limits, a Veterans' Tax Credit ($50 standard, up to $750 by local vote), a service-connected disability credit (up to $4,000), and exemptions for the blind and disabled. Amounts are set town by town, with applications generally due by April 15.