Housing Affordability: New Hampshire’s Defining Crisis
By Granite State Report
New Hampshire is facing what may be its most urgent policy challenge: housing affordability. Statewide polling, media analysis, demographic trends, and political debates all point toward housing not only being a top concern—but one that underpins many of the other difficulties the Granite State is confronting.
Why Housing Affordability Ranks at the Top
Polling Data: What Granite Staters Say
A series of recent surveys shows housing is far above most other issues in public concern.
- In the Granite State Poll (University of New Hampshire, Feb 2025), 29% of respondents named housing as the single most important problem facing New Hampshire.* That was more than any other issue, including taxes (10%), education (8%), drugs/addiction (7%), jobs/economy (7%), and cost of living (7%).
- An earlier survey (June 2024) found even higher concern: ~36% of respondents said housing was the top issue. By comparison, education was 7%, immigration 6%, economy 6%, addiction was much lower.
- From Saint Anselm College’s “Annual Statewide Survey of Voter Attitudes on Affordable Housing” (mid-2024): ‒ 75% of registered NH voters agreed that their community needs more affordable housing to be built. ‒ 61% support changing local planning and zoning regulations to allow more housing. ‒ Even among homeowners (often assumed to be more resistant), 57% said more affordable housing should be built in their neighborhood.
These data show broad and deep public concern about housing, and a willingness—even among potentially resistant constituencies—to accept policy change.
How Housing Compares to Other Issues
In terms of how people rank housing vs other pressing issues:
| Issue | % of Granite State Poll respondents who named it the top problem |
|---|---|
| Housing | ~ 29 % (Feb 2025) |
| Taxes | ~ 10 % |
| Education | ~ 8 % |
| Drugs/Addiction | ~ 7 % |
| Jobs & the Economy | ~ 7 % |
| Cost of Living | ~ 7 % |
So, while taxes, education, and addiction are significant, housing is consistently out ahead by a wide margin in “top concern” tallies.
Media & Voices: How the Conversation Is Framing It
Here are several recent local media / video sources that illuminate different aspects of the housing crisis in NH:
- In this interview with the Deputy Director of New Hampshire Housing, the high rent prices overall, inventories, and affordability pressures are explored firsthand.
- This video explores how thousands of NH residents are negotiating difficult trade-offs in finding affordable, attractive housing in their communities—highlighting people’s lived experiences.
- Shows polling data + reactions from voters and candidates about housing being the leading issue in recent campaigns.
- A data-driven discussion by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute: how recent statistics (rent, housing starts, home prices) confirm the severity of the crisis.
- Experts argue that NH is experiencing its least affordable housing market in decades, particularly for renters and first-time homebuyers.
These sources add qualitative and visual evidence to reinforce what the polling and data already show: this is more than abstract; people’s lives are being disrupted: commuting further, delaying having families, working multiple jobs, facing housing instability, or even homelessness.
Updated Report: Housing Affordability Crisis — Analysis
Executive Summary
Housing affordability is the most urgent issue facing New Hampshire today. According to multiple polls, more NH residents identify housing than any other concern—including addiction, education, or taxes. The crisis is not just about prices—it’s about supply, regulation, infrastructure, demographics, and how all these factors combine to limit opportunity, fuel inequality, and constrain economic growth. Without strong, coordinated action, the state risks worsening instability, out-migration of younger residents, and deepening socioeconomic divides.
1. Current Landscape & Trends
1.1 Prices, Rents, Supply
- Median home price: Over $500,000 in many parts of the state (estimates in recent reporting near $500,000–525,000).
- Statewide rental vacancy rates are very low—often near 0.5%, far below healthy market levels.
- Rents are rising significantly; two-bedroom rents in many areas approaching or exceeding $1,800–$2,000 per month.
1.2 Public Sentiment & Political Momentum
- Very high public awareness: ~75% of voters believe more affordable housing should be built in their communities.
- Majorities support loosening zoning / land use regulations to increase housing supply.
- Even as local opposition (“NIMBY”) remains in some places, there is declining resistance—homeowners and seniors are increasingly supportive of change.
1.3 Comparative Burden & Cost Pressures
- Housing cost burdens are squeezing lower- and moderate-income households (especially renters).
- The intersection with workforce shortages is already visible: service workers, educators, health care professionals find housing cost or lack of housing near their jobs is a major barrier.
2. Consequences & Who Is Harmed
- Vulnerable households: Those earning well below area median income, including people in shelters or seeking supportive housing. The supply of units they can afford is shrinking.
- Young families, first-time homebuyers: Many are priced out of starter homes or apartments in places where jobs, schools, amenities are accessible.
- Workforce & business climate: Employers report challenges recruiting/keeping staff in sectors like education, health care, hospitality—in part because housing is unaffordable near employment centers.
- Demographic risk: Out-migration of younger residents (or people who might otherwise move in), aging population, shrinking tax base in some towns.
3. Comparing Housing to Addiction, Climate, and Other Pressing Issues
While addiction (opioids, substance abuse) and climate change are serious, the data currently indicate that:
- Addiction/drugs are named by ~7% of respondents in the Granite State Poll as the top concern.
- Climate / environment rarely registers in those top slots in the polls; often falls behind housing, taxes, education, cost of living. (I did not find high-quality data in recent NH polls showing climate ranked above housing.)
- Cost of living more broadly is often bundled with housing in people’s minds; but when forced to pick one top issue, housing dominates.
So in terms of public concern, policy priority, and immediate impact, housing is ahead—though that does not mean the others are not important or urgent in their own spheres.
4. What’s Being Done & What Remains to Be Addressed
(This section largely overlaps with the earlier version, updated to reflect recent actions.)
Policy/Legislative Activity
- Legislative proposals in NH are underway targeting zoning reform, faster permitting (e.g. driveway permits, environmental reviews) to reduce delays.
- State budget proposals include funds dedicated to homelessness, shelter programs, rental assistance.
- Programs like InvestNH have been created (with some controversy over whether units must be “affordable” workforce housing).
Barriers that Remain
- Regulatory and zoning constraints remain a major bottleneck. Local rules often restrict density, multi-unit housing, mixed-use development.
- Infrastructure deficits (roads, water/sewer, broadband) in many towns complicate development.
- Rising costs of labor and materials increase the cost of building, especially for affordable housing projects.
- Political resistance in some communities remains, particularly to changes in local control or to “density” or “multifamily” housing in neighborhoods.
5. Recommendations
To address the crisis properly, NH needs a coordinated, multi-pronged approach. Below are refined recommendations.
- Strengthen State-level Incentives and Oversight The state should expand or create incentive programs (grants, low interest loans, tax incentives) for development of workforce and deeply affordable housing, tied to regulatory reforms (zoning, permitting).
- Accelerate Zoning / Land Use Reform Legislation or policies that require or strongly encourage municipalities to allow higher density housing in designated growth zones; streamline permitting (set deadlines, reduce overlapping reviews).
- Increase Affordable Housing Supply & Preservation Both building new units and preserving existing affordable housing stock (rent-controlled or subsidized) are essential.
- Supportive / Transitional Housing and Services For people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, more units with social / supportive services (health, substance abuse, job support, etc.) are needed.
- Broaden Infrastructure Investment Expand water/sewer, transportation, broadband, and emergency infrastructure in towns ready for growth; make it easier for developers to build in places that have or can build infrastructure.
- Budget and Funding Priorities Increase appropriation to affordable housing trust funds; ensure sustained, predictable funding rather than one-time allocations; align state budgets with housing goals.
- Monitoring, Data, & Accountability Maintain up-to-date data on housing costs, vacancy rates, shelter / homeless counts. Transparent reporting of success / failure of policy initiatives.
- Public Engagement & Messaging Build public understanding of how housing ties into education, workforce, quality of life; highlight stories of people affected; reduce the stigma around affordable housing development; show co-benefits (economic growth, stability, health).
6. Conclusion
Housing affordability is not just the biggest issue in people’s minds—it is the converging point of many of New Hampshire’s most serious challenges: workforce, economic development, social equity, demographic health.
If the state treats housing as a secondary concern, attempts to address addiction, education, or climate can be hampered by the instability that housing cost imposes. But if focused, sustained action is taken, improvements in housing affordability can generate ripple effects across many fronts.
The evidence is clear: Granite Staters want change. The challenge is to convert public concern into policy, investment, regulation, and concrete housing units.
Sources & Media Links
- Granite State Poll: Housing remains top concern for NH residents — NHPR; University of New Hampshire Poll.
- Housing remains top issue for NH residents in new poll — WMUR-TV.
- Housing a top issue for NH voters – and candidates, too — New Hampshire Bulletin.
- Saint Anselm College Annual Statewide Survey of Voter Attitudes on Affordable Housing — 2024 report.
- All Things Considered: Housing remains a top concern for many NH voters heading into Election Day — NHPR.
YouTube / Video Interviews / Discussions
- Raw interview: New Hampshire Housing deputy director talks about the state’s housing crunch.
- Working the Housing Problem Cities | Communities and …
- Housing a top issue for NH voters – and candidates, too (Poll Excerpt)
- The State of Housing in New Hampshire: What the Latest Data …
- Housing prices in New Hampshire least affordable in 20 years …
