A new survey reveals that nearly half of New Hampshire voters fear they could be priced out of their own communities if they had to move.

With skyrocketing housing costs and limited options, many Granite Staters are feeling the pressure of finding an affordable place to call home.

A recent statewide housing survey commissioned by the New Hampshire Association of Realtors reveals that 49% of respondents say they aren’t confident they could find alternative housing in their community if needed. That’s a sharp increase from just 27% in 2019.

In Merrimack County, the median sale price for a single-family home jumped from $269,746 in 2019 to $476,167 in 2024. Statewide, the climb is even steeper, with the median price rising from $296,619 to $507,958.

Bob Quinn, chief executive officer of NHAR, pointed out that since 2019, housing prices in New Hampshire have surged by 70%, while incomes have struggled to keep pace, creating a growing affordability gap for residents.

“Most people are not seeing a 70% increase in their income since 2019 and so the largest monthly expenditure most people have in their budget are shelter costs, rent and mortgage,” said Quinn. “So those growing rents, those increasing mortgages, are eating into that monthly budget and impacting, I think, people’s general economic anxiety and dissatisfaction with the way things are going.”

Even before the pandemic, New Hampshire’s housing inventory and affordability was declining. The state had already been on track to offer only 2,000 homes for sale in a given month. According to Quinn, the pandemic merely accelerated this trend.

In light of the current housing affordability crisis, the survey shows a shift in public opinion – 54% of New Hampshire residents now prioritize building more housing to reduce costs, while 43% still favor limiting construction to preserve the state’s rural character.

Political divisions in this issue are also evident. Two-thirds of Democrats support more housing construction, while a majority of Republicans emphasize the importance of maintaining New Hampshire’s rural charm.

Quinn said that framing the issue as an either-or choice is flawed.

In the past, many policymakers believed that requiring large lots and homes was the best way to preserve New Hampshire’s rural character. However, this approach often leads to sprawl, ultimately consuming much of the state’s rural land.

“What they should instead look to creating more density in housing,” said Quinn. “Why would we put one home on a single acre when you could put four homes on an acre? That is the only path to resolving our housing crisis in the state.”

Most towns in New Hampshire restrict housing construction on small lots of one acre or less, with some requiring as much as 10 acres per home. While zoning reforms could ease the housing crisis, addressing the issue will require a unified effort from communities across the state.

“We're one state economy and decisions that are being made locally in one community are going to affect other communities, their neighboring communities, and the state's economy,” said Quinn. “We all need to work together. Everybody has a role to play in ensuring adequate housing for New Hampshire's workers and families.”

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com