2026 taxes for the Region, Pelham incuding Hospital, and Waste increased 4.7% over 2025. Previous years are in the accompanying graph. The Region has a much larger increase. The Town tax increase has averaged down the overall impact in percentage terms. This is not really good news as both levels of government tax increases are way above inflation.
2026 taxes for Pelham increased 3.5% over 2025. You may believe that 3.5% is not that far above inflation but this number benefits from assessment growth of 2.65% which lowers your taxes. Pelham is going to spend this 2.7% and then another 6.3% resulting in the tax bill increasing 3.5%. (6.3% up + 2.7% down = 3.5% higher taxes). This is coming at you after multiple years of similiar increases
The Region has even worst performance. I won't focus on the Region here. Just wanted to point out they are performing worse than the Town. One bright spot at the Region level is that Waste Management is managing its costs well and has come in with a decrease three years in a row.
Your Tax Bill split: Region 51%, The Town 40% and 9% for Education. Our Mayor will soon represent 91% of your tax bill.
General Inflation (CPI) was 2.3% at January 2026, this is caluated from the Bank of Canda Consumer Price Index numbers. Inflation was high in 2022/2023 due to covid and supply chain problems. It has lessened since then and appears to be running between 2 and 3%. This is the maximum forgiveness that should be granted to a price increase.
Town Growth and Assessment Values
Increases in assessment in Pelham from growth (new homes, etc) has the effect of lowering your tax bill by spreading out spending amongst more new tax payers. If all other spending was held flat you would see a decrease in your tax bill. Unfortunately inflation drives up the town spending budget which drives up your property tax bill.
Total Pelham assessment value used in setting the 2025 property tax levy was $3.201 billion dollars. The assessment value used for setting the 2026 levy is $3.286 billion dollars. This is an assessment growth of $84.9 million or 2.65%. Using the assessment values we can say Pelham grew 2.65% in 2025. This provided us a property tax leverage of $542 thousand (Pelham spending only) which should offset any planned increase in budget spending. This lowers your property tax bill and is why growth is good BUT we need to be diligent to ensure its not easily spent away. Spending increases need to stand on their own merits!
For 2026 the math shows
Pelham planned increase. 6.7%
Offset by growth of 2.7%
Expect to see around 4.0%
Actual Property Tax Levy 3.5%
The graphs detail the actual increases I have seen on my own personal property tax bills over the recent past, excluding education levies.. You should have all seen the same increases. (unless your assessed values changed)
Decrease in Waste portion of your property taxes -2.3%. A bit of good news on an otherwise gloomy page.
