The Assessor has completed the preliminary assessment update for the 2026 tax year. New Hampshire law requires municipalities to revalue properties at least once every five years to ensure assessments reflect current market values. Canterbury’s last town-wide revaluation was completed in 2021, making this assessment update necessary for 2026.
The timing of this required update coincides with a significant increase in the Canterbury real estate market over the past five years. Property values have risen substantially throughout the community, and, as a result, property assessments have increased to reflect current market conditions.
The purpose of an assessment update is to ensure that the property tax burden is distributed as fairly and equitably as possible. New Hampshire law requires property to be assessed at market value. Generally, market value is the amount a typical, well-informed buyer would be willing to pay for a property in an arm’s-length transaction, also referred to as a “Qualified Sale” under RSA 75:1.
An increase in your assessment does NOT necessarily mean an increase in your property taxes.
When the overall assessed value of Canterbury increases, the tax rate generally decreases because the amount of taxes to be raised is distributed across a greater total assessed value. Please do not use the 2025 tax rate to estimate your 2026 property taxes. The actual 2026 tax rate will not be known until the assessment process is finalized and the Town, School District, and County budgets have been established. The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration will establish the final tax rate later this year.
If you believe there is an error in your property record or that your assessment does not accurately reflect your property’s market value, please contact the Assessor and provide any information or documentation that supports your concern. Appointments will be available for property owners who have information regarding a potential error in their assessment.
Our goal is to ensure that Canterbury’s assessments are accurate, equitable, and reflective of current real estate market conditions. Thank you for taking the time to review your preliminary assessment.