Winchester

Cheshire County•Monadnock Region•Population: 4,150

Value Seekers Families First Time Buyers

Overview

Winchester sits in the southwestern corner of Cheshire County along the Ashuelot River, close to both the Massachusetts and Vermont borders. The town's mill-era downtown reflects a manufacturing history built around the river's water power.

The Ashuelot River and surrounding conservation land offer fishing and paddling, while Winchester's small downtown provides basic shopping and services. The town's location keeps it somewhat removed from Keene's larger job market, though it remains within commuting distance.

Housing in Winchester remains among the more affordable options in the Monadnock Region, drawing families and value-seekers. The town continues to work through economic challenges typical of former mill communities in the area.

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

•Affordable
•River access
•Rural character
•Border location

✗ Cons

•Limited jobs
•Mill town past
•Remote location

Cost of Owning Here

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

2025 Local Tax Rate

$19.67

per $1,000 assessed value

2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate

$19.91

Equalization ratio: 101%

Municipal

$5.54

Local School

$11.11

State Education

$1.00

County

$2.02

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.

Year	Total Rate	Effective Rate	Municipal	Local School	State Ed.	County
2025	$19.67	$19.91	$5.54	$11.11	$1.00	$2.02

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home Value	Estimated Annual Tax	Estimated Monthly
$250,000	$4,918	$410
$350,000	$6,885	$574
$500,000	$9,835	$820
$750,000	$14,753	$1,229
$1,000,000	$19,670	$1,639

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $19.67 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.

Open Full Calculator →Compare With Other Towns →View Statewide Rankings →

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High

79.8°F

Winter Avg High

36°F

Annual Snowfall

49.1 in

Annual Rainfall

49.7 in

Sunny Days/Year

265

Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 • Updated 7/4/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston

102 mi

~139 min drive

Manchester

78 mi

~114 min drive

Portsmouth

120 mi

~161 min drive

Concord

65 mi

~104 min drive

Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap • Updated 7/3/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score

50/100

Trail Miles

51.6

Boat Launches

State Parks

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:22 miles

XC Ski Trails:0 miles

Campgrounds:1

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income

$56,645

Per Capita Income

$31,932

Median Family Income

$66,813

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value

$189,000

Median Rent

$933/mo

Homeownership Rate

65.06%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate

7.35%

In Labor Force

2,123

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher

8.03%

Total with Degree

231

👥Demographics

Median Age

41 years

Avg Household Size

2.53 people

Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year) • Census Data Year: 2022 • Updated 7/3/2026

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