New Hampshire‘s Housing Crisis: A Threat to Families and the State’s Future
New Hampshire is facing a housing crisis that extends far beyond simply finding a place to live. Interviews and focus groups across the state reveal a deeply troubling situation where families struggle with substandard conditions, fear displacement, and are priced out of their communities. The consequences, experts and residents warn, are detrimental to the well-being of children, the financial stability of families, and the future of the state.
Families describe living in apartments with serious hazards like lead paint and lacking basic necessities like heat. Tenants report fearing retaliation – eviction – for requesting necessary repairs, such as fixing leaks. The rise of seasonal rentals and short-term listings is exacerbating the problem, driving up costs and reducing housing availability for local residents.
The shift in the housing market was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As one service provider noted, “We are in a high tourist industry area. During COVID, lots of homes got bought up.” Another added that the increasing ability to work remotely has fueled demand, with many choosing to relocate to New Hampshire and further straining the housing supply: “People who can work remotely can live anywhere – and they’ve taken up a lot of housing.”
Current market rents are exceeding the financial reach of many families. Participants in the discussions reported paying between $1,200 and $1,500 for a two-bedroom apartment in cities like Berlin, Lancaster, and Claremont, and $1,800 to $2,000 in Manchester, Nashua, Keene, Concord, and Lebanon. A nonprofit leader in Keene highlighted the plight of the middle class, stating, “Even if housing is available, the cost is prohibitive for those who don’t qualify for assistance. The whole middle-class piece is missing.”
The lack of affordable housing traps families in arduous circumstances. A parent in Rochester described the situation as a lack of options: “When you don’t have a lot of money, you don’t have a lot of choice.We have asbestos and lead and a lot of bad landlords. And you are just stuck.”
the instability of housing has a particularly damaging effect on children. Without a stable address, families struggle to access essential services. Frequent moves disrupt children’s education, healthcare, and social connections. Even securing housing when it is available presents hurdles, with deposits, credit checks, and utility startup costs proving insurmountable for many.
Grandparents raising grandchildren – an increasingly common scenario in New Hampshire - are facing unique financial pressures. Many had anticipated a agreeable retirement after paying off their homes, but the expenses associated with raising children are creating significant financial burdens.One grandparent in North Conway shared their experience: “My husband and I spent three years building our retirement home without a mortgage. Then we had to take in four grandchildren.With the cost of food, clothing and services for their trauma, we had to take out a mortgage and we are up to our eyeballs in credit card debt.”
the consequences of inaction are severe. Children exposed to hazards like lead or experiencing frequent school changes will face lasting challenges. Families burdened by debt will struggle to achieve financial security, and communities that lose working families will suffer a decline in their workforce, volunteer base, and overall future prospects.
Residents and experts have proposed solutions including requiring affordable units in new developments, reducing waitlists for housing programs, expanding voucher programs, strengthening tenant protections, supporting kinship caregivers, enforcing housing safety codes, and reducing reliance on local property taxes.
However, the authors – Gail Garceau, President, and alisa Druzba, Director of Research and Community Impact, of the New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation - emphasize that these solutions require urgent and decisive leadership. “The time for half-measures and studies has passed,” they write. “New Hampshire must act - because housing is not just about where people sleep at night. It is about whether our state remains a place where families can live, work and thrive.”
Safe, affordable housing is essential to health, stability, and opportunity. The authors conclude that every child deserves it, every family needs it, and New Hampshire can no longer delay in providing it.
