NMLS #2748687 · Company NMLS #2502308MBR
What it costs to own a home in Amherst, NH
Beyond principal and interest, the biggest ongoing cost of owning a home in Amherst is property tax: the 2025 rate is $23.98 per $1,000 of assessed value, about $200 a month for each $100,000 of assessed value. Homeowners insurance, heating, water and septic upkeep and, for condos, association dues come next. Your lender counts taxes, insurance and dues when it figures what you can afford.
By Tom MacDonald, Loan Officer · Checked November 12, 2026Elite Mortgage GroupNMLS #2748687Company NMLS #2502308MBR
Property tax
About $2,398 a year, or $200 a month, for each $100,000 of assessed value; on a home assessed at $450,000, about $899 a month (NH DRA, 2025). See Amherst property taxes and records for how to look up any home's assessment.
Homeowners insurance
Your lender requires homeowners insurance with the lender named on the policy, and proof of coverage before closing. Premiums depend on the home (age, roof, heating system, distance to a hydrant), so get quotes as soon as you're under contract. See the NH homeowners insurance guide.
Heating
Heating is a real line in a New Hampshire budget. Ask the seller for a year of fuel or electric bills and how old the system is. The NH home heating guide compares oil, propane, natural gas and heat pumps.
Water, sewer and septic
Some Amherst homes get public water from Pennichuck Water Works and many have private wells. PFAS has been found in some Amherst private wells, according to an NHDES presentation posted on the town website, so if a home has a well, ask the seller for recent water test results and budget for testing and any treatment. Ask whether the home has a septic system, and for its records.
Trash and recycling
Amherst residents take household trash and recycling to the town Transfer Station on Route 101, which needs a transfer station sticker. Details are on the New to Amherst checklist.
Condo and association dues
If you buy a condo or a home in an association, the monthly dues count in the payment a lender uses to qualify you.
One-time costs when you buy
Closing costs, plus New Hampshire's real estate transfer tax: $0.75 per $100 of the price, paid by both the buyer and the seller. Your Loan Estimate lists your costs within 3 business days of applying. See NH closing costs.
Moving from Massachusetts?
New Hampshire has no broad-based tax on wages, though Massachusetts can still tax wages you earn there. The MA vs NH cost calculator compares the two for your situation.
Amherst housing at a glance
| Census (ACS 2020-2024) | Amherst |
|---|---|
| Housing units | 4,584 |
| Median home value (owner-estimated) | $537,600 (± $29,685) |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Single-family share | 93% |
Housing facts only. Estimates have margins of error.
Next step: Want the full monthly picture for a specific Amherst home? Send Tom the address and he'll lay out taxes, insurance and the loan options side by side. No credit pull to start. Tom MacDonald, Loan Officer, Elite Mortgage Group · NMLS #2748687 · Company NMLS #2502308MBR.
Sources
- NH DRA, 2025 (Amherst $23.98): https://www.revenue.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt736/files/documents/2025-municipal-tax-rates.pdf
- NHDES presentation on the Town of Amherst website, PFAS Occurrence in Amherst (February 2022): https://www.amherstnh.gov/1236/PFAS-Occurrence-in-Amherst-Funding-Oppor
- NHDES, Private Wells: https://www.des.nh.gov/water/drinking-water/private-wells
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide B7-3-02, property insurance requirements: https://selling-guide.fanniemae.com/sel/b7-3-02/property-insurance-requirements-one-four-unit-properties
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-6-02, debt-to-income ratios (taxes, insurance and dues count): https://selling-guide.fanniemae.com/sel/b3-6-02/debt-income-ratios
- NH RSA 78-B:1, real estate transfer tax: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/V/78-B/78-B-1.htm
- CFPB, Loan Estimate: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/loan-estimate/
- NH DRA, Interest and Dividends Tax (NH taxes no wages): https://www.revenue.nh.gov/taxes-glance/interest-dividends-tax
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25001, B25024, B25035, B25077), via Census Reporter
- Town details (water, sewer, trash): this site's New to Amherst checklist and its sources
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