The Town Office has received many questions about the relationship between the 2024 tax rate, the 2024 property revaluation, and the increase in tax bills. The town is legally required to revalue property at 100% of market value every five years. The 2024 revaluation saw property assessments on average increase by over 78%. The 2024 tax rate, which is calculated using the new property assessments, is $16.19 per thousand. As the total value of property increases, the tax rate decreases. If we hadn’t done a revaluation in 2024 and everyone’s assessment had stayed the same as it was in 2023, this year’s tax rate would have been $28.92 per thousand, which would have been 10.26% more than the last year’s tax rate of $26.23 per thousand.
2024 Revaluation (total value of property in the town)
| 2023 | 2024 | Change | %Change | |
| Total Assessment | $199,733,630 | $356,668,170 | $156,934,540 | 78.57% |
The increase in tax bills is due primarily to an increases in school, county, and town spending. The chart below shows the increase in the net tax effort, which is the amount the town must collect in taxes to fund the budgets voted on in March. Tax bills are up because this year the Town must collect $538,360 more in taxes than it did last year.
Cornish Net Tax Effort: Prior Year Comparison
| 2023 | 2024 | Change | %Change | |
| Town | $938,618 | $958,254 | $19,636 | 2.09% |
| State & Local School | $3,781,245 | $4,128,360 | $347,115 | 9.18% |
| County | $508,638 | $680,247 | $171,609 | 33.74% |
| Total Tax Effort | $5,228,501 | $5,776,861 | $538,360 | 10.30% |
It is important that every taxpayer familiarize themselves with their tax card. Tax cards are available free of charge from the Town Office to property owners. Please also see the reference guide Understanding Your Property Record Card from Avitar, the Town’s assessors.