Typical NH family does not have enough money to cover basic living expenses, report finds

The median household income in New Hampshire falls nearly $2000 short of covering annual necessities, according to a new report from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute . The report found families had about $17,000 less disposable income annually in 2024 than they did a decade ago, in 2005.

Just about every basic living expense – including costs related to housing, health care, child care, and education – has gone up in recent years, while incomes have lagged behind.

“Young New Hampshire families are facing an entirely different economic landscape that sets them up on a different financial trajectory than young families ten years ago,” said Nicole Heller, a senior policy analyst at the N.H. Fiscal Policy Institute, who co-authored the report.

Housing costs have outpaced income