Young workers and families are moving to New Hampshire from other states, according to new analysis from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute. However, concerns about the rising costs of child care, healthcare, and housing may be preventing young residents from staying long-term.
The Fiscal Policy Institute found that young working-age adults ages 26 to 44 have been driving recent migration to the state, but the state has continued to lose residents under the age of 26.
Jessica Williams, senior policy analyst and the lead author of the report, said this is a fairly new trend. “More than a decade ago, older adults comprised most of the net growth into the state.”
The Granite State has long relied on in-migration to grow its population. Williams said that, as of 2024, about two-thirds of the state’s population was born outside of New Hampshire.
The report concludes that population growth to the state has likely benefitted from proximity to Boston and the employment opportunities of the greater metropolitan area. Survey data from the University of New Hampshire found that family and community were also important drivers of young people to the state.
However, Williams said retaining these young people may prove to be an issue long-term. “Survey data suggests that many young people in particular are feeling the effects of the high cost of living from housing costs, child care, health care — which all could make it harder to sustain this growth of young people over time,” Williams said.
A large portion of people who move out of New Hampshire have relocated to nearby Maine, Williams said, likely due to its lower house of living and fewer housing constraints. Additionally, New Hampshire residents moved to Southern states, including Florida, the Carolinas, and Texas.
According to data provided by the University of New Hampshire, about 60% of UNH’s undergraduate class of 2025 live in New Hampshire, yet only 50% of that year’s graduates work in the state. Meanwhile, data from Saint Anselm College shows that 20% of the employed graduates of the class of 2025 work in the state.
To encourage New Hampshire residents to remain in-state, Saint Anselm College launched an initiative last year allowing students with a high school GPA of 3.25 or higher and a family income of $100,000 or less to attend the college tuition-free.
