Why are people moving out of NH?

The main drivers of out-migration from New Hampshire are housing affordability, property taxes, and limited urban scale. NH’s moderate cost of $3,900 per person per month sits above the US average ($3,525), and home prices in the southern half of the state have risen sharply over the past five years as Boston-area remote workers relocated north. Property tax rates run high (effective rates often 1.5 to 2.5 percent of assessed value) to make up for no income or sales tax, which hurts retirees and households on fixed budgets. Younger residents sometimes leave for larger metros with broader job markets in tech and finance. None of this overrides NH’s quality-of-life draw: low crime, strong public schools, and ready access to mountains and ocean. For the full picture, see our New Hampshire cost of living page.