ROWE — Homeowners in Rowe can expect their tax bills to increase by $200 on average this year, as the Selectboard has approved a split tax rate where residential properties will pay a rate of $5.24 per $1,000 valuation, and commercial, industrial and personal property (CIP) will be taxed at a rate of $11.42 per $1,000 valuation.
“This is something we’ve done forever because we have the big energy company,” Board of Assessors Chair Rick Williams told the Selectboard on Nov. 20.
Williams said that opting for a split tax rate, where the town’s two hydropower companies pay higher rates than residential properties, has allowed the town to ease the burden on residents. The tax rate for residential properties in fiscal year 2026 will be 1.9% higher than fiscal year 2025, and the rate for CIP properties will be 3.7% higher than FY25.
With the slightly increased rate, residents can expect the tax bill for a single-family home in Rowe to increase by about $200. The average tax bill for FY26 is estimated to be $1,661.
Williams noted the town had the second-lowest average tax bill in the state last fiscal year at $1,486. The average bill was about $6,000 below the state average ($7,732) and on par with the neighboring communities of Monroe ($1,587) and Florida ($1,767).
“I expect we’ll stay the second lowest in the state,” Williams said.
Over the past two decades, the average tax bill in Rowe has risen steadily, with a few drops here and there. In the last five years, the tax rate in Rowe has risen by 2.7%, and the average single-family tax bill has risen by 13.1%, according to Williams.
He said the increases can be attributed to voter-approved increases to the town budget to accommodate rising costs of operation, as well as rising property values. Williams noted that over the past two years, 31 homes have sold in Rowe, and one large home was constructed, leading to property values increasing by 10.9% overall.
“Things go up, that’s why your tax bill is going up,” Williams said.
With the Selectboard voting unanimously to approve the split tax rate, Williams said the figures will be submitted to the state Department of Revenue for final review and approval, and the Board of Assessors will work with the tax collector to send out the tax bills by the end of December.