The state’s Medicaid program provides health coverage to adults and children with low incomes, individuals with certain disabilities or with long-term care needs, and other specific populations. Children are eligible for Medicaid if they live in households earning less than 323 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (FPG), or $83,399 per year in 2024 for a household of three, while adults who are under 138 percent of the FPG, or $35,632 for a three-person household, are eligible. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s municipal population estimates from July 1, 2023, an average of about 15 percent of the state’s population was enrolled in Medicaid in 2023.  

Across the state, Medicaid enrollment varied based on municipality. Stratford had the largest percentage of its population enrolled in Medicaid, with an average of about 40 percent of residents receiving Medicaid benefits in 2023. Warren (32 percent), Stewartstown (31 percent), Claremont (31 percent), and Berlin (30 percent) also had large percentages of their populations enrolled in Medicaid; two of these municipalities are in Coos County, which is the northernmost in the state.  

Only two percent of Hanover’s population was enrolled in Medicaid, which was the lowest percentage in the state among organized municipalities with more than 100 residents. Relatively low percentages were also enrolled in New Castle (three percent), Durham (three percent) and Waterville Valley (four percent), although both municipalities had significantly lower population sizes compared to the 12,209 who resided in Hanover during 2023. Six municipalities had about five percent of their populations enrolled in Medicaid, four of which were in Rockingham County: Atkinson, Hollis, New London, Rye, Stratham, and Windham.  

Despite the relatively lower percentages of their populations enrolled in Medicaid, the state’s four southeasternmost counties had larger numbers of Medicaid enrollees due to their higher population sizes. Cities also had larger populations of Medicaid enrollees, even where lower percentages of the population were enrolled. For example, 16,778 Nashua residents (18 percent of the population) were enrolled in Medicaid, compared to 266 in Stratford (40 percent). Manchester and Franklin had the largest percentages of populations enrolled in these four counties, with about 27 percent (30,603 residents) and 28 percent (2,478 residents) enrolled in Medicaid, respectively.   

While approximately one in seven Granite Staters were enrolled in Medicaid in 2023, the percentage of the state’s population receiving Medicaid benefits has declined in 2024. During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, New Hampshire permitted beneficiaries to be continuously enrolled in the Medicaid program without having to regularly renew their coverage. Since the expiration of this continuous enrollment provision, the State began disenrolling Medicaid beneficiaries on April 1, 2023 in a process known as the “unwind.” As of July 31, 2024, 184,180 people were enrolled in Medicaid, a decline of about 13.7 percent from the 213,410 people who were enrolled on average in 2023. As the state’s population continues to grow, the ability to access the State’s Medicaid program is vital for helping to ensure a healthy and economically vibrant New Hampshire.