Madison

Carroll CountyWhite MountainsPopulation: 2,565

Overview

Madison sits in Carroll County's Lakes Region, home to Silver Lake and Purity Lake, along with expansive views of Mount Chocorua and the surrounding White Mountains. The town's rural character blends lake recreation with mountain scenery.

Silver Lake State Park offers swimming and picnicking, while the town's rural roads connect scattered residential neighborhoods to nearby Conway and North Conway for shopping and services. Madison remains less developed than the busier Winnipesaukee towns to the south.

Housing in Madison ranges from lake cottages to mountain-view rural homes, drawing families, retirees, and second-home buyers who want a quieter Lakes Region and White Mountains combination.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Lake access
  • Mountain views
  • Quiet setting
  • State park access

Cons

  • Remote location
  • Seasonal crowds
  • Limited services

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Madison.

2025 Local Tax Rate
$8.98
per $1,000 assessed value
2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate
$9.04
Equalization ratio: 101%
Municipal
$2.39
Local School
$4.89
State Education
$0.98
County
$0.72

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

YearTotal RateEffective RateMunicipalLocal SchoolState Ed.County
2025$8.98$9.04$2.39$4.89$0.98$0.72

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home ValueEstimated Annual TaxEstimated Monthly
$250,000$2,245$187
$350,000$3,143$262
$500,000$4,490$374
$750,000$6,735$561
$1,000,000$8,980$748

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $8.98 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High
77.3°F
Winter Avg High
32.4°F
Annual Snowfall
75 in
Annual Rainfall
52.7 in
Sunny Days/Year
260
Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5Updated 7/4/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston
122 mi
~171 min drive
Manchester
88 mi
~123 min drive
Portsmouth
69 mi
~107 min drive
Concord
70 mi
~103 min drive
Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMapUpdated 7/3/2026

Safety & Crime

Safety Score
9/10
Crime Rate
6.24/1,000
Crime Trend
stable
Data source: FBI Crime Data Explorer - https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/Updated 8/12/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score
46/100
Trail Miles
31.6
0
Boat Launches
5
State Parks
1
Ski Areas
1

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:18 miles
XC Ski Trails:2 miles
Campgrounds:1

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income
$101,333
Per Capita Income
$51,286
Median Family Income
$106,369

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value
$331,600
Median Rent
$964/mo
Homeownership Rate
85.79%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate
8.69%
In Labor Force
1,393

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
19.19%
Total with Degree
360

👥Demographics

Median Age
43.8 years
Avg Household Size
2.64 people
Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year)Census Data Year: 2022Updated 7/3/2026

Compare Madison with Other Towns

See how Madison stacks up against other NH communities.