Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
A $331,000 home here costs
$3,009per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,702. The real number is $1,307 higher every month — 77% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
How Merrimack County compares
Merrimack County ranks 99th of 3,133 US counties by effective property tax rate, meaning property taxes here are lower than in 3,034 counties and higher than in 98. Within New Hampshire it ranks 4th of 10.
The numbers behind this page
| Measure | Merrimack County | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $330,600 | ACS B25077 |
| Median real estate taxes paid | $6,617 | ACS B25103 |
| Effective property tax rate | 2.002% | Derived |
| Median gross rent | $1,293 | ACS B25064 |
| Occupied housing units | 60,445 | ACS B25003 |
| Population | 155,018 | ACS B01003 |
| Residential electricity price | 27.33¢/kWh | EIA 5.6.A |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate | 6.66% | Freddie Mac PMMS |
Other counties in New Hampshire
Compare the cost of the same home elsewhere in the state.
Questions about owning here
What is the property tax rate in Merrimack County?
The effective property tax rate in Merrimack County, New Hampshire is 2.002% of home value per year. On the county's median home value of $330,600, that works out to about $6,617 annually, or $551 per month.
How much does it cost to own a home in Merrimack County?
A $331,000 home in Merrimack County, New Hampshire costs approximately $3,009 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That breaks down as $1,702 principal and interest, $552 property tax, $166 insurance, $314 utilities and $276 set aside for maintenance.
Why is this higher than the payment my lender quoted?
Lender quotes usually show principal and interest only, and sometimes property tax and insurance. They almost never include electricity, water or a maintenance reserve. Here those add about $590 a month, which is why the real cost is 77% above the mortgage payment alone.
Is it cheaper to rent in Merrimack County?
Median gross rent in Merrimack County, New Hampshire is $1,293 per month, compared with $3,009 to own the median home outright. Renting is cheaper month to month, though rent does not build equity and is not fixed for 30 years.
How much is the electric bill in Merrimack County?
New Hampshire residential electricity averages 27.33¢ per kWh. At the US average household usage of 899 kWh per month, that is about $246. Actual bills vary considerably with house size, insulation and climate.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes paid, gross rent, occupied units and population — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, tables B25077, B25103, B25064, B25003, B01003.
- Effective property tax rate — median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, updated weekly.
- Residential electricity price — US Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A.
- Homeowners insurance (0.60%/yr), maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are modelled national estimates, not quoted figures. Every one is editable above.