Politics & Government
Lakes And Mountains, Merrimack, Salem Lead NH's Population Growth, While Some Cities Shrink: NH FPI
Analysis by the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute reveals while population here grew by 30,300 people in 4 years, it was uneven growth.
A new analysis from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute that reveals that while New Hampshire’s population grew by 30,300 people between 2020 and 2024, the growth was uneven.
Amenity-rich areas like the Lakes Region and White Mountains saw population increases, likely fueled by retirees and remote workers. At the same time, some places, including Berlin, Keene, and Durham, lost residents.
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Key findings
- Carroll County led the state in growth, with towns like Brookfield (+8.9%), Tuftonboro (+6.6%), and Moultonborough (+6.2%) far outpacing the state average.
- Remote work-friendly and retirement-attractive towns across the White Mountains and Lake Sunapee regions also saw significant increases.
- Larger communities like Merrimack (+2,532 residents), Lebanon, and Salem saw notable gains, while some municipalities, including Durham, Berlin, and Keene, lost population.
- Southeastern counties remain home to nearly three-quarters of the state’s population, underscoring their central role in New Hampshire’s economy and workforce.
- Uneven growth and population declines in cities and job centers may point to deeper challenges including high housing costs, limited child care, and affordability barriers.
Read the full analysis and explore the interactive map at https://nhfpi.org/blog/lakes-and-mountains-lead-new-hampshires-population-growth-while-some-cities-shrink/.
This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
