Concord, N.H. – New Hampshire is attracting younger workers and families from other states, but rising housing, child care, and health care costs may make it harder for people to remain in the Granite State long-term, according to a new analysis from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute.
The analysis, Younger Residents Lead Interstate Movement to New Hampshire While Affordability Challenges Persist, examines recent migration trends into and out of New Hampshire, including where people are moving from, who is relocating, and why people choose to move to or leave the state. The report also explores how affordability challenges may shape New Hampshire’s long-term workforce and population growth. The analysis draws from multiple data sources, including U.S. Internal Revenue Service interstate migration data and U.S. Census Bureau data.
Key findings from the analysis include:
- Young working-age adults are driving recent growth. Adult tax filers ages 26 to 44 represented nearly 57% of New Hampshire’s net gains from interstate movement between 2022 and 2023.
- New Hampshire continues to lose younger residents under age 26. The state experienced a net loss of nearly 1,000 tax filers under age 26 during the same period, suggesting challenges retaining younger adults and recent graduates. The report notes that steep higher education costs and limited access to affordable public higher education may contribute to more young residents leaving the state for college and career opportunities elsewhere.
- Massachusetts remains the largest source of new residents. New Hampshire gained a net of more than 4,000 tax filers from Massachusetts between 2022 and 2023, although growth slowed compared to COVID-19 pandemic-era peaks. The Granite State also experienced net gains from Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and California. At the same time, New Hampshire continued to lose residents to Maine, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. (The report includes a detailed table showing which states tax filers are moving to and from.)
- Most New Hampshire residents were born elsewhere. Nearly 60% of New Hampshire residents were born outside the state, underscoring how important interstate movement is to the State’s workforce and population growth.
- International migration to New Hampshire remains relatively limited, while more Granite Staters are moving abroad. While international migration into New Hampshire remains comparatively small relative to domestic interstate movement, the number of tax filers leaving New Hampshire for other countries has grown in recent years. The analysis found New Hampshire experienced a net loss of 122 tax filers to other countries between 2022 and 2023, a sharp rise in the net outflow from pre-pandemic levels.
- People are drawn to New Hampshire for jobs, family connections, and quality of life. Survey data showed employment opportunities, family ties, the state’s natural environment, outdoor recreation, and a sense of safety were leading reasons people move to and remain in New Hampshire, particularly younger working-age adults and families.
- Many younger residents cite affordability as a major concern. Survey data highlighted housing affordability, child care costs, health care access, and career opportunities among the biggest concerns shaping whether younger adults stay in New Hampshire long-term.
“With deaths continuing to outpace births in New Hampshire, attracting and retaining younger workers will remain critical for the state’s future workforce and economy,” said Jessica Williams, New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute Senior Policy Analyst and the author of this study. “Strengthening policies aimed at improving housing affordability, expanding access to child care, supporting higher education affordability, and strengthening workforce and career pathways may help more young adults and families choose to build their futures in New Hampshire.”
You can read the full analysis at https://nhfpi.org/resource/younger-residents-lead-interstate-movement-to-new-hampshire-while-affordability-challenges-persist/.
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