A new analysis from NHFPI’s Ben Reynolds examines New Hampshire summer employment trends and finds that last year’s summer job growth was the weakest recorded over the past decade. Private-sector employment increased by just 11,118 jobs (2.2%) from May to August 2025, compared to an average increase of 3% from 2015-2024.
A new NHFPI study finds that child care remains a significant financial challenge for many Granite State families. The analysis found that the average annual price of center-based care for an infant and a four-year-old reached nearly $30,000 in 2025, up from about $22,500 in 2017, while the number of licensed child care providers statewide declined by 120 programs.
The price of child care in New Hampshire continued to rise in 2025 while the number of providers declined, placing growing financial pressure on Granite State families seeking affordable, high-quality care for their children, according to a new analysis from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute.
First published in Business New Hampshire Magazine, May 4, 2026. Economic uncertainty appears to have slowed hiring substantially in New Hampshire during 2025, and average private-sector wages fell behind inflation during the year. Fewer NH Jobs, Slipping Behind National Growth The latest data available from New Hampshire Employment Security show that employers filled about 2,200 ...
At NHFPI, we spend a lot of time examining New Hampshire’s challenges. But the data tell positive stories, too. In honor of 603 Day, we're highlighting five encouraging trends shaping the Granite State, from slowing housing price increases and declining drug-related deaths to growing freshman enrollment at UNH and improvements to roads, bridges, and child poverty.
Each month, NHFPI’s research team shares a curated list of books, research papers, podcasts, and more that are helping to shape our understanding of the economic wellbeing of the Granite State and beyond. Here are our picks for May 2026.
