What does it say about New Hampshire’s future when nearly one in four Granite Staters is considering leaving the state within the next five years?
It says our economy is flashing a warning sign. From dirt roads and small towns, working families and seniors are feeling the same squeeze — New Hampshire is becoming harder to afford — and for too many people, harder to call home.
Our labor market stalled in 2025. Employers filled fewer jobs compared to the previous year, the number of employed residents remained relatively flat, unemployment increased and average private-sector wage growth failed to keep pace with inflation. Meanwhile, our costs keep climbing, and too many young people cannot afford to put down roots here.
The consequences reach every kitchen table. According to the nonpartisan New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute, the typical New Hampshire family has $17,000 less purchasing power per year than it did 10 years ago. That’s less money available for groceries, child care, healthcare, retirement savings or spending at local businesses.
Housing costs are making the squeeze even worse. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median sales price of a single-family home reached a record $580,000 in July — an increase of roughly 114% over the past decade. It is a warning about who can and who can’t build a future in New Hampshire.
Then, there are rising property taxes. With state revenue falling short, the costs of education, infrastructure and essential public services have not disappeared. They are pushed down to towns and ultimately local property taxpayers.
That is why economic growth and property tax relief belong in the same conversation. Helping more Granite Staters find jobs, build businesses and raise families will generate more revenue from existing taxes. If lawmakers invest a meaningful share of those existing revenue sources in education, infrastructure and public safety, we can reduce pressure on local property taxpayers.
If future generations will have the opportunity to thrive here — then New Hampshire urgently needs a new business plan.
We need the right kind of growth — not growth at any cost. We need economic opportunity that stays true to our traditions and embraces innovation. We will not prosper by trying to become home to another Silicon Valley, Austin or Boston. That centralized, big-city model does not fit New Hampshire.
Our greatest strength is our network of rural towns. Instead of creating one massive technology center, we have the opportunity to build a constellation of specialized innovation hubs anchored in tight-knit communities like Franklin, Hillsborough and Bristol.
Each of these communities reflects a unique local identity that each innovation hub can be built around. Focusing on areas like biotechnology, healthcare, timber products or renewable energy, they can foster entrepreneurship and attract new and growing companies. Together they can build a skilled workforce, create jobs with meaningful career pathways and bring a new vitality to small towns across our state.
Those companies will need skilled workers and research expertise. Our network of universities, colleges and trade schools can catalyze a decentralized innovation economy where small and midsized companies test ideas, develop products and train workers. Young Granite Staters can turn educational opportunities into career pathways without leaving the communities they call home.
But sustainable, rural economic development cannot stop with an economic development in technology innovation.
When I paddle Kezar Lake with my family or bike the Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail, the experience does not end at the water’s edge or the trailhead. We want to stop for a pint of strawberries at a nearby farm, explore a local shop or share lunch at a Main Street restaurant. Those are the moments that become family memories — and help us pass New Hampshire’s way of life to the next generation.
Our rivers, lakes and mountains are more than beautiful places. They are assets for health and powerful engines for local economic growth.
Visitors should experience the full character of New Hampshire — from maple sugar houses and farm stands to historic downtowns and pristine wilderness. Every trail explored, local product purchased, and meal enjoyed keeps money circulating in our communities. Done thoughtfully, tourism can strengthen local businesses, preserve our rural character and give visitors a reason to return year after year.
New Hampshire must invest in the farms and small businesses and protect the natural resources that sustain our economy. Our farmers need reliable access to local food processing, distribution systems and markets. Our foresters and loggers depend on timber processing and transportation infrastructure. Main Street entrepreneurs need affordable capital, technical assistance and opportunities to reach more customers.
New Hampshire needs a new business plan that directly addresses the strain of rising property taxes and lowers costs. One that gives young Granite Staters a real opportunity to build a career, start a business, buy a home, raise a family and thrive without leaving the state.
We must connect our existing strengths — and build a future that is unmistakably New Hampshire.
Rebecca Harned is a Sutton resident, research scientist, and member of the Kearsarge Regional School District Municipal Budget Committee. She is running for New Hampshire State Senate.