Merrimack County Property Tax 2026: Rates, Appeals and Exemptions

Verified July 2026 · By Oleg Kachko · Reviewed for accuracy against primary state and county sources

Merrimack County property tax costs the typical homeowner about $6,783 a year, on a median home value of $367,600 – an effective rate of about 1.80%. That is above the national average annual bill of $4,271. This page shows you where that number comes from, who actually sets it, the deadline to challenge it, and the exemptions you may be leaving on the table.

Merrimack County property tax: the real numbers

Property tax is the most local tax there is. Two homes of the same value in different counties – sometimes in different towns of the same county – can carry very different bills, because the rate is the sum of every overlapping district that taxes you: the county, the town or city, the school district, and often fire, library or water districts on top. So the merrimack county property tax figure below is an average across the whole county – your own bill depends on which districts you sit inside.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (5-year), the same dataset the Tax Foundation uses. The effective rate is total real-estate taxes paid divided by total owner-occupied home value – so it reflects what people actually pay, not the headline millage rate.

Who actually sets your merrimack county property tax value

This is the part most guides get wrong. In New Hampshire, your city, town or township sets your assessed value – not Merrimack County. If you ring the county about your assessment, you are ringing an office that did not set it. Start with your local assessor. The county still matters for the appeal itself, which is covered below.

How often your merrimack county property tax value is reassessed:

Municipal assessors value property at market value (adjusted by the town’s equalization ratio) and must reappraise at least every five years. Assessment date is April 1.

How to appeal your merrimack county property tax assessment

Almost every merrimack county property tax appeal comes down to one claim: the assessor thinks my home is worth more than it really is. Everything below is about proving that.

Do this first, before you file anything: ask for your property record card and read it. A surprising share of assessments are simply wrong on the facts – the wrong square footage, a bathroom you do not have, a finished basement that is bare concrete, a garage that was torn down. Factual errors are the easiest appeals to win, because there is nothing to argue about.

Then build the one thing that actually wins appeals: comparable sales. Find three to five homes near you, as similar as you can get on size, age, and condition, that sold recently for less than your assessed value. Not listings – sales. Not Zillow estimates – recorded sales. Boards ignore opinions and respond to comps.

A successful merrimack county property tax appeal does not change your tax rate – it lowers the value the rate is applied to, which lowers the bill for as long as the new value stands.

Appeals are heard by the Municipality (abatement), then the Board of Tax and Land Appeals or Superior Court. In most places there is a free, informal step first – a conversation or a paper review with the assessor – and it resolves a large share of cases without a hearing. Take it. It costs you nothing and it is the fastest way to win.

One honest warning: an appeal reviews your value, and a review can go up as well as down. That is uncommon when you bring real comparable sales, and it is exactly why you check your comps before you file.

Where to go: find your office through NH Dept of Revenue Administration, which lists the assessing office for every county in New Hampshire.

Merrimack County property tax exemptions you may qualify for

This is where most homeowners quietly overpay their merrimack county property tax. Exemptions are almost never applied automatically – you have to claim them, and many people simply never do. It is worth ten minutes of your time to check.

Homestead: New Hampshire has no general homestead exemption, and with no state income or general sales tax it leans heavily on property tax. Relief is targeted: a local-option elderly exemption, veteran credits, disability exemptions, and a state Low & Moderate Income Homeowners rebate (below). Apply for local exemptions/credits with your municipality (Form PA-29) by April 15.

Senior / over-65: Elderly Exemption (RSA 72:39-a, local-option, tiered by age): each town sets its own dollar amounts and income/asset limits, usually rising in age brackets (for example 65-74, 75-79, 80+), knocking a set amount off assessed value. Amounts vary a lot by town (often tens of thousands to $100,000+ of value). Apply with your municipality by April 15; no need to reapply yearly once granted.

Veteran: Veterans’ Tax Credit (RSA 72:28): a credit off the tax bill, standard $50, which towns may raise up to $750 (wartime service, 90+ days, honorably discharged; surviving spouses too). A larger credit for total & permanent service-connected disability (RSA 72:35): standard $700, local-option up to $4,000. And a FULL exemption (RSA 72:36-a) for a veteran whose home was VA-adapted (specially adapted housing) with 100% disability, paraplegia, double amputation, or blindness.

Disability: Towns may adopt a disability exemption and a blind exemption (local-option amounts off assessed value). A tax deferral (RSA 72:38-a) is also available to owners 65+ or disabled. Lower-income owners can also use the state Low & Moderate relief below. Apply with your municipality (Form PA-29).

Common questions about merrimack county property tax

Why did my merrimack county property tax bill go up when I did nothing to the house?
Two different things can raise a bill: your assessed value went up, or a taxing district raised its rate. They are separate, and only the first one can be appealed. Your notice will show which changed.

Do I call Merrimack County about my assessment?
No. In this state the county does not set your value – your city, town or township assessor does. Start there.

Is it worth appealing my merrimack county property tax?
Ask one question: would a similar home near mine sell for less than the value the assessor has put on mine? If yes, you have a case, it is usually free to file, and in many places the informal review settles it without a hearing.

Do I need to hire someone to appeal?
No. The informal review and the local board are built for ordinary homeowners to use themselves, and there is normally no fee. Appeal services exist and can be worth it for some people, but you are not required to use one and you should never be told you are.

How is my merrimack county property tax bill actually calculated?
Your assessed value is multiplied by the combined rate of every district that taxes you, then any exemptions you have claimed are subtracted. That is why two neighbours can pay different amounts on identical homes – one of them claimed an exemption the other never did.

More on New Hampshire property tax

• New Hampshire property tax rates — how Merrimack County compares with every other county in the state.
• How to win your New Hampshire property tax appeal — the evidence that works and what to say at the hearing.
• New Hampshire property tax exemptions — who qualifies, how much each one saves, and how to apply.
• New Hampshire property tax due dates — when the bill is due and what happens if you are late.
• Property tax by state — every state, side by side.

Where our merrimack county property tax figures come from

• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey — the rate, median bill and median value on this page.
• Tax Foundation, Property Taxes by State and County — the same dataset and method.
• NH Dept of Revenue Administration — the office that can confirm your value, your exemptions and your deadline.
• NH Dept of Revenue Administration (revenue.nh.gov); NH RSA ch. 72; NH Board of Tax and Land Appeals; municipal assessing offices

Informational only. Know Property Tax is not a government agency, not a county assessor, and not a tax-appeal service, and this is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Property tax rates, median bills, exemption amounts, and deadlines change every year, and every property is different. Any figure shown here is illustrative. Confirm your rate, your exemptions, and above all your appeal deadline with the office named on this page before you act.

Related county property tax guides

• Santa Fe County Property Tax 2026: Rates, Appeals and Exemptions
• Bibb County Property Tax 2026: Rates, Appeals and Exemptions
• Johnson County Property Tax 2026: Rates, Appeals and Exemptions