At Least 113 New Hampshire Towns Approve School Tax Cap

Voters in at least 113 New Hampshire communities approved a cap on annual increases in local school taxes in the election held on Nov. 3, 2026, NHPR reported, citing WMUR. The question appeared on ballots statewide but takes effect only where it drew at least 60% support. New Hampshire has roughly 260 communities.

The cap limits school property tax growth to inflation plus the value of new construction, but it can be overridden at a district's annual meeting. Voters will continue taking up warrant articles one by one, including the budget and staff contracts; any item that pushes taxes above the cap would need 60% approval.

Colebrook, Farmington, Allenstown, Hillsborough and Barnstead approved the measure with close to 70% support, according to NHPR. It fell short in Bedford, with 59.2%, and in Chichester and Manchester, where it drew 59.8%.

Barrett Christina, executive director of the New Hampshire School Boards Association, said boards should keep budgets tight even where the cap failed. He said there would be "some impact" on student services in communities that adopted it.

Londonderry school officials had warned of $2 million in cuts, including some bus routes, advanced courses and extracurricular activities; the cap failed there with about 52% support. The measure also bars districts from spending more than 6% of their budgets on superintendent office administration. Four of the five communities in the Merrimack Valley School District approved the cap, but it will apply to all five, district business administrator Sam York said. That district spends about 2.6% on administration.

This story was first reported by NHPR.