The vast majority of Granite Staters agree that the state needs to take action to address New Hampshire’s housing problems, according to a survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Housing Action New Hampshire. The numbers underscore why Gov. Kelly Ayotte and leaders in both parties are highlighting housing policy as the midterm elections approach.
“Once again, New Hampshire voters say overwhelmingly that the cost of buying or renting a home in this state is a problem,” said Nick Taylor, executive director of Housing Action New Hampshire. “This year, we also found that 76 percent of New Hampshire voters are experiencing this issue in deeply personal ways — it’s stopping them from being able to afford their basic needs, or to start a family, or to save for retirement.”
While 87 percent of voters said the legislature should act to address housing costs and availability, just 15 percent believe their city or town is doing enough to address the challenges.
The results come as New Hampshire continues to struggle with high home prices, low inventory, and limited rental availability — trends that economists and housing officials say are squeezing workers, families, and employers across the state.
The poll found broad agreement across party affiliation and income levels that housing is a serious problem in New Hampshire. Overall, 52 percent of voters identified housing as the top issue facing the state today.
Nearly all Democrats surveyed — 96 percent — said housing is a “major problem” or “somewhat a problem,” along with 93 percent of independents and 85 percent of Republicans. Eighty percent of voters said there are not enough homes that average people can afford to rent or buy.
“Building more housing is critical to growing our workforce, encouraging our young people to stay here, and ensuring we remain the best state for economic opportunity,” Ayotte said Monday. “We’re going to make sure our new laws to speed up construction and cut red tape work how they should, and we’ll continue partnering with local leaders and the private sector to keep New Hampshire growing.”
The impact is personal for many residents. Seventy-six percent of voters said housing costs have had a negative effect on their lives or the lives of loved ones. More than a third — 38 percent — said high housing costs have made it harder to afford basic necessities such as groceries or medicine.
Taylor said lawmakers should act quickly to expand the housing supply. “The legislature must urgently address this issue and work to pass bold solutions to our housing supply challenges,” he said.
The survey suggests voters are willing to prioritize increased housing production, even if it means limiting local control—a hotly debated issue in Concord.
When asked to choose between building more affordable housing and preserving the existing character of local neighborhoods, 68 percent of voters said it is more important to build more homes. Seventy-two percent said they would prefer more housing options in their own neighborhoods, even if it changes how those neighborhoods look.
Sixty percent of respondents said they would prefer a candidate who votes to allow more homes to be built, even if it means municipalities have less authority over what gets built. Fifty-five percent said they would support a candidate in a primary election who worked across party lines to expand housing availability and affordability, while 57 percent said they would be less likely to support a legislator who voted against such policies.
Voters also expressed strong support for specific proposals currently under consideration at the State House. Nearly 80 percent said they support legislation that would allow modern manufactured homes in more neighborhoods.
Republicans note new data showing housing starts at a 20-year high. They believe the deregulation they’ve passed with Ayotte’s support will keep the momentum going.
State House Democrats, however, are accusing the GOP of dropping the ball on housing by refusing to continue funding for the New Hampshire Housing Champions program. The House Housing Committee voted to pull the plug on the program in a party-line vote last month.
On WMUR this weekend, the committee’s chairman, Rep. Joe Alexander (R-Goffstown), said the end of post-COVID federal funding and a tight budget meant the program had to end.
And Matt Mayberry, chair of the New Hampshire Homebuilders Association, says what New Hampshire needs isn’t more government spending but fewer government obstacles to growth.
“Throwing money at a solution doesn’t solve the problem; it just shifts the burden to others,” Mayberry said. “In the past year, we have seen an unprecedented increase in new building permits. We have to let the system work. We just passed new laws to help. We cut 18 months off the permitting time. But we can not snap our fingers and solve this challenge.”
Still, the new polling suggests voters are eager for continued action.
“This week, the legislature will have an opportunity to advance legislation allowing manufactured homes everywhere and to maintain the progress made in 2025,” Housing Action New Hampshire said in a statement.
For now, one message appears clear: across party lines, New Hampshire voters want more housing — and they want the state to play a larger role in making it happen.