Poverty and Food Insecurity in New Hampshire During and Following the COVID-19 Crisis

Poverty and food insecurity are interrelated challenges for many individuals and families in New Hampshire. Research suggests a strong relationship between poverty and food insecurity, both of which rose following the Great Recession of 2007-2009 nationally and in New Hampshire. The COVID-19 pandemic also significantly increased the risk that more people would face poverty and ...

The State of Child Care in New Hampshire: End of One-Time Federal Investments May Reduce Industry Stability

Limited access to affordable child care creates significant challenges for New Hampshire’s families and economy, and may hinder New Hampshire’s efforts to support a robust workforce.[1] While New Hampshire families requiring child care experienced challenges with availability, affordability, and quality of care before 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges and highlighted the severity of ...

Limited State Funding for Public Higher Education Adds to Workforce Constraints

The Granite State is experiencing a long-predicted workforce shortage that is, in part, related to an aging New Hampshire population, and further exacerbated by fewer residents who are employed or looking for employment than were prior to the pandemic.[1] Future workforce constraints in key industries could be disproportionately severe due to a lack of qualified ...

Granite State Workers and Employers Face Rising Costs and Significant Economic Constraints

Fueled by accumulated savings and federally-funded economic stimulus, the national and New Hampshire economies have rebounded quickly from the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite forecasts of another recession in 2022 or early 2023, the national and state economies largely remained resilient and have avoided a downturn.[1] However, the expansion of the state’s economy ...

The House of Representatives Budget Proposal for State Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025

The Governor’s February 2023 proposal for the next two-year State Budget arrived in an environment of potentially increased overall need for services, particularly with looming economic uncertainty and the end of key federal COVID-19-related fiscal supports for programs and the economy. The next State Budget will fund State-supported services during the upcoming two fiscal years. ...