# New Hampshire mortgages: property tax, a two-sided transfer tax and NH Housing help

> New Hampshire home buying: a 1.46% effective property tax, a transfer tax charged to buyer and seller, the $458,800 median home and NH Housing aid.

URL: https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/location/new-hampshire/  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-29 · By the MortgageMath US Editorial team

## Quick answer

A median-value New Hampshire home ($458,800) costs about **$3,766 a month** with 10% down at the 7.24% national average rate, and 15% of that is property tax at the state’s effective rate of 1.46%. At closing, the real estate transfer tax is charged to the buyer and to the seller at $0.75 per $100 each — $3,441 apiece on the median home. NH Housing offers up to $15,000 for the down payment and closing costs as a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payments.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value in New Hampshire | $458,800 | [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B25077?g=040XX00US33) | 2024 ACS 1-year |
| Median property tax paid | $6,707/yr | [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B25103?g=040XX00US33) | 2024 ACS 1-year |
| Effective property tax rate | 1.46% | [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B25103?g=040XX00US33) | 2024 ACS 1-year |
| Transfer tax, buyer and seller combined | 1.5% | [New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration](https://www.revenue.nh.gov/taxes-glance/real-estate-transfer-tax) | Oct 28, 2026 |
| Median household income | $99,782/yr | [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B19013?g=040XX00US33) | 2024 ACS 1-year |
| NH Housing downpayment assistance, up to | $15,000 | [New Hampshire Housing: Mortgage Programs](https://www.nhhousing.org/homeownership/build-your-team/mortgage-programs/) | Sep 16, 2026 |
| Home Flex Plus income limit, up to | $184,500 | [New Hampshire Housing: Mortgage Programs](https://www.nhhousing.org/homeownership/build-your-team/mortgage-programs/) | Sep 16, 2026 |

## New Hampshire’s property tax bill comes first

New Hampshire’s effective property tax rate of 1.46% is above the national 0.89% and ranks 4th of 51. With home values that rank 10th, that adds up: the median owner pays $6,707 a year, the 2nd-largest bill among the states and DC. That bill equals 6.7% of the median household income, against 3.9% for the US.

Bills are set town by town, combining municipal, school and county rates, so they can differ sharply between neighboring communities. Before you make an offer, ask for the home’s current assessment and the town’s latest tax rate and multiply them yourself, rather than relying on the statewide average.

## What the median New Hampshire home costs monthly

> **Worked example: $458,800 home, 10% down, 30-year fixed at 7.24%**
>
> | Part of the payment | Monthly |
> |---|---:|
> | Principal and interest on $412,920 | $2,814 |
> | Property tax at 1.46% | $558 |
> | Homeowners insurance at the national $4.90 per $1,000 | $187 |
> | PMI (midpoint of Freddie Mac’s range) | $206 |
> | **Total** | **$3,766** |

Property tax is the biggest line after principal and interest. If your lender escrows it, a town rate increase shows up at the annual escrow review. Try other prices and tax bills in the [payment calculator](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/tools/mortgage-payment-calculator/?price=459000&down=10&tax=1.46&state=NH).

## New Hampshire’s two-sided transfer tax

New Hampshire’s Department of Revenue Administration imposes the real estate transfer tax on **both the buyer and the seller**, each at $0.75 per $100 of the price. Combined, that is 1.5% — the 3rd-highest statewide transfer tax in the country — but each side’s share is half.

*Transfer tax on the median New Hampshire home ($458,800)*

| | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---:|
| Buyer’s share | $0.75 per $100 | $3,441 |
| Seller’s share | $0.75 per $100 | $3,441 |
| **Total** | 1.5% | **$6,882** |

Your share is cash due at closing on top of the down payment, lender fees and prepaid items. The [closing cost calculator](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/tools/closing-cost-calculator/?state=NH) splits it the same way.

## NH Housing downpayment and closing cost help

New Hampshire Housing, the state’s housing finance agency, works through approved lenders. Its assistance comes as cash of up to **$15,000**, secured by a 0% second mortgage with no periodic payments and a 30-year term. The full amount is due if you sell, refinance, stop living in the home or reach the end of the term. You must complete NH Housing’s homebuyer education.

| NH Housing program | What it is | Income limit |
|---|---|---|
| Home Flex Plus | NH Housing mortgage paired with the assistance | Up to $184,500 |
| Home Preferred Plus | Conventional loan with discounted mortgage insurance | A share of area median income |
| Home First / First Plus | Bond-financed, below-market rate; no home owned in the past 3 years, a targeted area or a qualified veteran | Varies by town |

> **Worked example: Cash to close on the median home with 3% down and the full assistance**
>
> | | Amount |
> |---|---:|
> | Down payment at 3% | $13,764 |
> | Closing costs at the low end of the CFPB range | $9,176 |
> | Your share of the transfer tax | $3,441 |
> | NH Housing assistance | −$15,000 |
> 
> The assistance leaves about **$11,381** to bring from savings. The first mortgage payment, with PMI, tax and insurance, would be about $4,001 a month; the deferred second adds nothing to it.

NH Housing also runs **1stGenHomeNH**, a pilot offering $10,000 to first-generation buyers — people who, like their parents or guardians, have never owned a home — with face-to-face education. Funding is limited and the pilot can close at any time, so ask an approved lender whether it is open.

## Income against the median price

New Hampshire’s median household income of $99,782 ranks 7th, and homes cost 4.6 times that income, higher than the US ratio of 4.4. Under Freddie Mac’s 30% guideline, the median income allows $2,495 a month — about **$304,000** with 10% down at today’s rate and the state’s tax ratio, $154,800 less than the median home value. Owners are the norm: 72.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied, the 6th-highest share in the country. Test your own income in the [affordability calculator](https://mail.mortgage-math-us.com/tools/affordability-calculator/?state=NH&income=99782).

## Frequently asked questions

### Who pays the transfer tax in New Hampshire?

Both sides. The Department of Revenue Administration imposes the real estate transfer tax on the buyer and on the seller, each at $0.75 per $100 of the price — about $3,441 each on the median home.

### How much is the real estate transfer tax in New Hampshire?

The combined rate is 1.5% of the price, split evenly between buyer and seller. On the median $458,800 home that is $6,882 in total.

### What is the property tax rate in New Hampshire?

Census figures put the median New Hampshire homeowner’s bill at $6,707 a year, an effective rate of 1.46% of home value. Each town sets its own rate, so bills vary widely between communities.

### What downpayment assistance does NH Housing offer?

Up to $15,000 in cash for the down payment and closing costs, as a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payments, due when you sell, refinance or move out, or after 30 years. Homebuyer education is required.

### Is there help for first-generation homebuyers in New Hampshire?

NH Housing’s 1stGenHomeNH pilot offers $10,000 to buyers who, like their parents or guardians, have never owned a home, alongside an NH Housing mortgage. Funding is limited, so check availability with an approved lender.

### How much income do you need to buy a house in New Hampshire?

To keep housing under 30% of gross income on the median $458,800 home with 10% down at today’s average rate, you would need about $150,642 a year before other debts. The median household earns $99,782.

## Sources

- [Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey](https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms) — 30-year fixed rate, national weekly average (Week of Oct 29, 2026)
- [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B25077?g=040XX00US33) — Median value of owner-occupied homes (2024 ACS 1-year)
- [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B19013?g=040XX00US33) — Median household income (2024 ACS 1-year)
- [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B25103?g=040XX00US33) — Effective property tax rate (median taxes ÷ median home value); Median real estate taxes paid by homeowners (2024 ACS 1-year)
- [Freddie Mac Research](https://www.freddiemac.com/research/insight/homeowners-insurance-costs) — Average homeowners insurance premium per $1,000 of home value (2023 data)
- [Freddie Mac My Home](https://myhome.freddiemac.com/buying/breaking-down-pmi) — Typical PMI cost, low end; Typical PMI cost, high end (Oct 28, 2026)
- [Freddie Mac My Home](https://myhome.freddiemac.com/blog/homebuying/how-much-can-you-afford) — Freddie Mac guidance: housing costs below this share of gross income (Jan 22, 2026)
- [CFPB](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/prepare/figure-out-how-much-you-want-to-spend/) — Typical closing costs, low end (share of purchase price); Minimum down payment on some conventional loans (Oct 28, 2026)
- [New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration](https://www.revenue.nh.gov/taxes-glance/real-estate-transfer-tax) — State real estate transfer tax (Oct 28, 2026)
- [New Hampshire Housing: Mortgage Programs](https://www.nhhousing.org/homeownership/build-your-team/mortgage-programs/) — NH Housing downpayment and closing cost assistance, up to; NH Housing downpayment assistance second mortgage term; NH Housing Home Flex Plus and Home Preferred income limit, up to (Sep 16, 2026)
- [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B25103?g=010XX00US) — Effective property tax rate (median taxes ÷ median home value) (2024 ACS 1-year)
- [42 U.S.C. 12704(14)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/12704) — First-time homebuyer: has not owned a home in the past (HUD/HOME statute) (Oct 28, 2026)
- [US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year](https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2024.B25003?g=040XX00US33) — Share of occupied homes lived in by their owners (2024 ACS 1-year)
- [New Hampshire Housing: Mortgage Programs](https://www.nhhousing.org/homeownership/build-your-team/mortgage-programs/)
- [NH Department of Revenue Administration: Real Estate Transfer Tax](https://www.revenue.nh.gov/taxes-glance/real-estate-transfer-tax)

_General information, not financial advice._