Statewide Sessions Reveal Young People in New Hampshire Can’t Afford to Stay and Are Begging For Changes

While the challenges facing young people were consistent statewide, the Policy & Pints pop-up series held in recent weeks highlighted important regional differences:

• In more urban hubs, young people emphasized housing affordability, transportation, and childcare costs.

• In rural and tourism-driven regions, second homes, short-term rentals, and seasonal economies are pricing out year-round residents and affecting the local community.

• Across every region, participants noted the unaffordability and inaccessibility of childcare.

“Policy & Pints reinforced what we hear again and again: young people want to stay in New Hampshire, they just need a fair shot to do so,” said Corinne Breton-Benfield, Executive Director. “These conversations were about unprecedented tradeoffs young people are making just to afford to choose to live in New Hampshire. In a 50-state competition for talent, every pain point elevated should be a red flag and an incentive for policymakers to do something about it.”

Notably, participants across regions expressed a growing concern about intergenerational connection, citing a lack of representation in decision-making spaces and policies that reflect the realities facing young people today.

“These conversations made it clear that young people feel a palpable disconnect between their reality and the strategies being shaped at the State House,” said Breton-Benfield.  “Young people want the classic New Hampshire dream — community, nature, and stability — but the pathway to get there is quickly narrowing, and across regions, participants cited developing intergenerational empathy as a critical solution.”

The Policy & Pints series builds on the findings from Stay Work Play’s 2025 Quality of Life Survey, which shows:

• 85% of young people say New Hampshire is worse on housing than other places to live

• 58% say it’s worse for meeting people and dating than other places to live

• 75% say it’s worse for nightlife and entertainment than other places to live

Stay Work Play views the Policy & Pints series as a valuable step toward a state-led workforce and talent strategy that supports businesses, strengthens communities, and ensures young people can build full lives in New Hampshire.

Over the past three months, Stay Work Play convened more than 275 young people across eight regions of New Hampshire through this statewide series, a set of regional listening sessions hosted at local breweries designed to capture young people’s lived experiences, priorities, and solutions for the state’s future. Conclusive results across the state are included below.

Policy & Pints: Regional Highlights

Greater Concord | Arts Alley, Concord (November 12, 2025)
Attendees: 25
The takeaway: A strong civic and cultural core with growing pressure from housing costs and wage gaps.
View the complete Greater Concord one-pager.

• Why they stay:

  • Vibrant third spaces (arts, festivals, farmers’ markets)

  • Close proximity to regional and statewide outdoor recreation

  • Supportive professional and small business networks

• Why they’d leave:

  • Wages are not keeping pace with the rising cost of living

  • Housing affordability and aging housing stock

  • Lack of intergenerational empathy and representation

• Top solutions:

  • Attract emerging industries and strengthen career pathways

  • Expand mixed-use and starter home options

  • Increase young perspectives in decision-making

North Country | rek-lis brewing, Bethlehem (November 13, 2025)
Attendees: 20
The takeaway: Deep pride in place and outdoor lifestyle, threatened by luxury second home ownership, short-term rental properties, and limited social infrastructure. View the complete North Country one-pager.

• Why they stay:

  • Natural environment and outdoor recreation

  • Close-knit, neighborly communities

  • Strong local identity

• Why they’d leave:

  • Lack of third spaces and nightlife

  • High property taxes and inequitable assessments

  • Housing competition from second homes and STRs

• Top solutions:

  • Social districts and flexible local event regulations

  • Tiered taxes for second homes and STRs

  • Zoning reforms to allow ADUs and smaller starter homes

Greater Nashua | Spyglass Brewing, Nashua (November 18, 2025)
Attendees: 28
The takeaway: A diverse, walkable city with strong location advantages, but held back by affordability and transit gaps.
View the complete Greater Nashua one-pager.

• Why they’d stay:

  • Walkable downtown with a small-city feel

  • Cultural and ethnic diversity

  • Proximity to Boston, mountains, and the Seacoast

• Why they’d leave:

  • Rising cost of living

  • Housing affordability and renter protections

  • Limited public transportation

• Top solutions:

  • Expanded rail and bus connectivity

  • Rental stabilization and stronger tenant protections

  • Intergenerational housing models like ADUs

Greater Manchester | Harpoon Queen City Center, Manchester (November 19, 2025)
Attendees: 42
The takeaway: A growing, diverse city ready for its next chapter, if infrastructure keeps pace.
View the complete Greater Manchester one-pager.

• Why they’d stay:

  • Cultural diversity and inclusion

  • Thriving arts and downtown scene

  • Balance of urban energy and small-town feel

• Why they’d leave:

  • Housing affordability

  • Childcare and wage pressures

  • Limited public transportation

• Top solutions:

  • Convert underused land to workforce housing

  • Paid family medical leave and childcare incentives

  • Expanded transit and regional connectivity

Seacoast | Loaded Question Brewing, Portsmouth (December 4, 2025)
Attendees: 60
The takeaway: High quality of life and lively social scene, while becoming increasingly inaccessible to the workforce that sustains it.
View the complete Seacoast one-pager.

• Why they stay:

  • Natural beauty, history, and recreation

  • Strong small business ecosystem

  • Community character and picturesque charm

• Why they’d leave:

  • Housing prices reflective of out-of-state salaries

  • Rising cost of living

  • Limited career mobility across industries

• Top solutions:

  • Rental caps and diversified housing models

  • State investment in infrastructure and trades

  • Stronger education-to-workforce pipelines

Lakes Region | Twin Barns Brewing Company, Meredith (December 11, 2025)
Attendees: 22
The takeaway: Scenic, safe, and community-oriented but increasingly defined by tourism and seasonal residents over year-round Lakes Region citizens.
View the complete Lakes Region one-pager.

• Why they stay:

  • Natural beauty, slower pace of life

  • Safety

  • Strong sense of local identity

• Why they’d leave:

  • Lack of affordable housing and starter homes

  • Seasonal economy with limited career growth

  • Limited access and high cost of childcare

• Top solutions:

  • Regional alignment on housing policy

  • Prioritize year-round workforce housing

  • Public investment in childcare and education

Monadnock | Branch & Blade Brewing Company, Keene (January 8, 2026)
Attendees: 35
The takeaway: A tight-knit, values-driven community with affordability and mobility challenges.
View the complete Monadnock one-pager.

• Why they stay:

  • Strong community connection

  • Outdoor recreation access

  • Balanced rural–urban lifestyle

• Why they’d leave:

  • Housing affordability

  • Wages not keeping pace with cost of living

  • Transportation limitations

• Top solutions:

  • Rent stabilization and zoning reform

  • Incentives to rehab older housing stock

  • Expanded third spaces and inclusive social opportunities

Upper Valley | Hoptimystic Brewing, Enfield (January 13, 2026)
Attendees: 35
The takeaway: Highly educated and outdoors-oriented, but difficult for young people to break into socially and economically.
View the complete Upper Valley one-pager.

• Why they stay:

  • Strong education ecosystem

  • Outdoor recreation and wellness culture

  • Welcoming community 

• Why they’d leave:

  • Housing supply and affordability

  • Intergenerational disconnect

  • Limited social life and dating opportunities

• Top solutions:

  • “Missing middle” housing and infrastructure investment

  • Cross-generational civic engagement and connection

  • Expanded transportation options and more third spaces

Stay Work Play concludes that New Hampshire is at a critical juncture.

The demand for workers is at an all-time high, yet so is the cost of living. For many young people, the aspiration to build a life in New Hampshire is strong, but the reality of making it work feels increasingly out of reach. If the state hopes to remain economically competitive, culturally vibrant, and maintain its high quality of life, leaders, businesses, and communities must recognize their shared responsibility in creating clear, accessible pathways for the next generation to start and grow their lives in the Granite State.

The Policy & Pints series was generously sponsored by the Couch Family Foundation, New Hampshire Association of Realtors, New Hampshire Housing, New Hampshire Insurance Department, League of Conservation Voters, and The Nature Conservancy. 

To learn more about the Quality of Life Survey, visit stayworkplay.org/survey

To see full regional reports from the Policy & Pints series, visit stayworkplay.org/policyandpints