Overview of Fiscal Policy in New Hampshire
Presented by Phil Sletten, New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute Research Director to Leadership New Hampshire's conference on March 5, 2026.
Income & Poverty
Compared to other states, New Hampshire has a high median household income and a low official poverty rate. Yet nearly 100,000 Granite Staters live in poverty. In 2022, about one in four Granite State households had less than $50,000 per year in income, and about one in six had less than $35,000. Estimates of living costs in New Hampshire suggest many households are not able to make ends meet, with incomes often too limited to be able to afford the combined costs of housing, child care, transportation, and other necessities.
NHFPI aims to analyze and interpret the trends in income and poverty in the Granite State and provide insights into public policies designed to improve the economic security of New Hampshire’s residents.
Most Communities with Household Incomes Higher than State Median are in Southeast
New U.S. Census Bureau data show an inflation-adjusted 8% increase in New Hampshire’s statewide median household income from the 2015-2019 period to the 2020-2024 period. Median household income rose from approximately $91,674 to $99,031, respectively, across these two periods. Cities and towns in southeastern New Hampshire continued to have higher median household incomes than the ...
An Uneven Recovery: What New Census Data Show About New Hampshire – Valley News
First published in Valley News, February 17, 2025. New U.S. Census Bureau data offer a detailed look at how New Hampshire residents have fared in the years during and following the COVID-19 public health crisis. Released in late January, the new five-year data set covering 2020-2024 provides insight into long-term trends in income, poverty, and housing affordability across ...
New Census Data Reveal Gaps in Income, Poverty, and Housing Affordability in New Hampshire
On January 29, 2026, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data offering insight into the financial well-being of Granite Staters during the 2020-2024 period. This aggregated five-year data builds on ...
🎙 New Hampshire Uncharted Season 2, Episode 1: Who’s Looking Out for Energy Consumers in New Hampshire?
Energy costs affect nearly every household in New Hampshire from monthly utility bills to housing affordability and long-term economic security. As lawmakers debate proposals aimed at controlling rising energy costs, understanding who represents consumers and how ...
Nearly One in Four New Hampshire Households Lacked $2,000 in Savings for Emergencies
A broken furnace, medical bill, or car repair could quickly become a financial crisis if it were to happen in any one of over 120,000 New Hampshire households with very ...