Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
These numbers are very misleading - especially if you own property. The burden on property owners is way too high and many people find living in Texas or other states much more affordable even given your (suspicious) numbers. We've passed on many a house in NH that we could afford to buy - but couldn't afford the long term property tax burden. Have friends who lost their house because of high taxes that went from $2550 when they bought it 28 years ago to now $6,620 and there have been no upgrades in town services. Their property value now is less than when they bought it but the town has it assessed for 70k more. So numbers do lie.
Property taxes are certainly a concern in New Hampshire and it is true that they could be a big change for people moving from some states. However, the property tax rates in Texas are extremely similar to the rates in New Hampshire, but with less local control than in New Hampshire.
For you, as long as Nashua- Concord line is out of option,Seacoast area is fine place to move. Dont get me wrong: from Nashua up to Concord is also beautiful places to live but it may get crowded because of a railroad project from Boston to NH imo. Already I saw some from Mass looking for house lol.
These numbers are very misleading - especially if you own property. The burden on property owners is way too high and many people find living in Texas or other states much more affordable even given your (suspicious) numbers. We've passed on many a house in NH that we could afford to buy - but couldn't afford the long term property tax burden. Have friends who lost their house because of high taxes that went from $2550 when they bought it 28 years ago to now $6,620 and there have been no upgrades in town services. Their property value now is less than when they bought it but the town has it assessed for 70k more. So numbers do lie.
They are not misleading. Just Google "tax burden by state" and dive through the data. It is what it is. I sympathize with those in NH who pay crazy property taxes, but antidotal personal stories don't trump the facts. The numbers are not "suspicious." I packed my life up and moved across the country to NH because the numbers worked. Many others are doing the same. Diving into the data from the guys at How Money Walks shows that many people are coming to NH to pay less of their money in taxes.
[edit] For the record, Texas was my #2 choice. Financially, it was similar to NH for me. However, NH won out because of the lakes, mountains, ocean and natural beauty.
It depends on an individual's situation. If you're employed with a family necessitating a lot of retail purchases, NH's lack of an income tax and sales tax more than makes up for its property taxes, which primarily fund the school system your kids are utilizing. If you're retired, probably with fewer purchases, you don't benefit from the absence of an income tax or sales tax, while still paying those property taxes and an interest and dividend tax on your retirement income. Neither NH's tax structure, nor its weather, are friendly to retirees.
The total overall tax burden for state and local taxes is 8.15% in Texas, and 7.07% in New Hampshire. This includes property taxes.
In the past year or so, I have closed on an immaculate 2,000sf log home on over 40 acres and the taxes are only $4,300 a year, and a decent 2,000sf home on almost 30 acres with immaculate horse barn and fields for horses and taxes are only $4,700 a year. In the past few months I've showed clients 3,000sf+ homes on lots in the following sizes: 27 acres, 110 acres, 270 acres, 100+ acres, and the taxes for all these properties ranged between 7k-9k a year. Yes, there are many homes in NH with 12k property taxes, but there are numerous homes with taxes way lower than that.
I'm sure there are numerous places with lower property taxes, but not in the more highly populated areas and certainly not in Dartmouth/Upper Valley area unless you want to drive 30-40 minutes to work.
The main downside to Keene is owning any property in the city limits due to the absurd property taxes.
I don’t live in NH. But you folks are always touting the no state income tax and no sales tax aspect of your state. The truth is no matter how it is done a state and towns must raise revenue somehow. In some way you are going to pay the bills how that is structured is up to its citizens and this was NHs choice.
New Hampshire has the lowest state budget (dollars per capita minus Federal grants) of any New England state
Quote:
Originally Posted by LeviDunn
They are not misleading. Just Google "tax burden by state" and dive through the data.
Quote:
Originally Posted by squarpeg
I don’t live in NH. But you folks are always touting the no state income tax and no sales tax aspect of your state. The truth is no matter how it is done a state and towns must raise revenue somehow. In some way you are going to pay the bills how that is structured is up to its citizens and this was NHs choice.
As recommended above, start by Googling "tax burden by state", and then also look at state and local spending -- some of our neighboring states spend twice as much money per resident, meaning they need to bring in twice as much just to stay solvent.
New Hampshire extracts less revenue from each citizen than any other New England state, and also spends less money per citizen -- so no, we don't need to "raise revenue" if we control spending.
As recommended above, start by Googling "tax burden by state", and then also look at state and local spending -- some of our neighboring states spend twice as much money per resident, meaning they need to bring in twice as much just to stay solvent.
New Hampshire extracts less revenue from each citizen than any other New England state, and also spends less money per citizen -- so no, we don't need to "raise revenue" if we control spending.
Except that wasn’t the point of my response to the person I quoted. He was complaining about high property taxes in Keene. Just pointing out no matter how frugal you are money is needed to run even the most basic services. Again if you don’t have sales and income tax it has to be generated through some tax structure whether that property tax of fees for services etc. Not making a judgment call on it.
One key is to avoid some of the particular towns with high tax rates relative to the property value. Lebanon's nice.... but by living down the highway in Grantham, I've got a nice, large 5 acre lot, nice landscape, quiet evenings, good schools (here for the Elementary, Lebanon for Middle and High), and while the town itself doesn't have a lot of business (okay, almost none), but the drive to the central Upper Valley is short, and aside from 7:55 to 8:05am and 4:50 to 5:10pm, almost completely without traffic.
My 2017 tax bill was $5618.
I should give an update here. Obviously my modest house has not gone up in value as much as some others in the neighborhood, since my total property tax bill has decreased since 2017 (it's now $5001/year). I'll take it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
New Hampshire has the lowest state budget (dollars per capita minus Federal grants) of any New England state
