'No Surprises' as Hampton's Average Tax Bill Jumps $175

The New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration has set Hampton's 2013 tax rate at $18.31 per every $1,000 of assessed value.

The rate, announced Tuesday, is 56 cents higher than the 2012 tax rate of $17.77 and 38 cents higher than 2011's $17.93 rate.

That means a $325,000 home, which is the average assessed value of a single-family home in Hampton, can expect to see a $175.50 increase in their tax bills. The average home's bill will be $5,950.75 this year, compared to the $5,775.25 paid in 2012 and the $5,827.25 paid in 2011.

In an e-mail, Hampton Finance Director Mike Schwotzer said the 2013 rate contained "No surprises." 

The 2013 tax rate increase is due in part to the fact that the local school portion of the rate was set at $7.66, which is a 64-cent increase compared to 2012's local school rate of $7.02. 

The town's portion of the 2013 tax rate was set at $7.04, which is 10 cents lower than the 2012 rate of $7.14. The state portion of the school rate was set at $2.51, which is down 1 cent from 2012's rate of $2.52. The county portion of the rate was set at $1.10, which is up 1 cent compared to 2012's rate of $1.09.

Selectmen Chairman Dick Nichols has said residents will likely see another increase in 2014 due to town projects and unavoidable increases in the town's share of healthcare and state retirement system costs.

The Hampton Beach Village District was valued at $536,337,300, while the exempt portion of the district was valued at $608,606,500. These comprise 51 cents and 10 cents of the tax rate, respectfully, according to NHDRA.

Residents have one month to pay their tax bills from the date stamped on the bill.