The Business & Industry Association and Stay Work Play NH share a common vision when it comes to building a better economy with more prosperity—and young people are at the center of it.
New Hampshire needs more young people to fill both current job vacancies and many future ones as more baby boomers retire. The median age in the Granite State is 43.1, the second oldest in the nation. Only 18.5% of NH’s population is age 18 or younger, trailing the nation (22%), while 19.3% of Granite Staters are 65 and older compared to 16.9% nationwide.
The state needs better age balance for a strong, diverse, and sustainable economy. Yet the so-called brain drain is a major challenge for the state. According to a recent Stay Work Play poll of NH residents aged 20 to 40, 64% of respondents aged 20 to 25 were born here, but that drops to 46% among those aged 26 to 30, 40% for ages 31 to 35 and 27% for ages 36 to 40.
Why does an attractive place like NH struggles to retain and attract young people? Stay Work Play’s poll, conducted through the Saint Anselm College Survey Center, offers some answers.
While NH received high marks for its environment, safety, taxes and community, respondents fear NH has critical weaknesses that could drive them away. They cite the lack of affordable housing and child care, as well as limited diversity and lack of public transportation. The high cost of tuition at the state’s public universities and colleges leads many Granite State students to seek post-secondary education elsewhere and many don’t return.
Respondents’ perception of quality of life in NH diminishes during their mid-20s and through their early 30s, which for many young people coincides with their pursuit of home ownership and childcare. The median home sales price in NH was $415,000 this past February, according to NH Housing’s March market snapshot.
New Futures reports infant care averages $14,425 per year in a center-based setting in NH. This would consume more than 37% of a single parent’s income and 11% of a two-parent household that nets $120,000 annually. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services considers child care affordable when it costs families no more than 7% of their household income.
The survey does report a rebound in the quality-of-life perception as 90% of those aged 36 to 40 say they are satisfied. But it also says the number of people aged 20 to 40 who promote NH as a place to stay, work and play has deteriorated since 2017.
The mission of the BIA, NH’s statewide chamber of commerce, is to promote a healthy business climate and robust economic future for NH. Stay Work Play’s advocacy focuses on public policy issues that affect whether young people stay in or leave the Granite State. Both organizations prioritize housing affordability, child care and student debt, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion, and outdoor recreation.
While speaking to the BIA’s executive board about the survey, Stay Work Play Executive Director Will Stewart reiterated how state policy can greatly affect the attraction and retention of young people. “If we really want to increase the number of young people in New Hampshire we need to be active in advancing public policies that will make the state an even more attractive place for young people,” Stewart said.
The BIA could not agree more. While the 2023 legislative session has largely concluded, advancing public policy goes beyond a single session. The BIA has steadfastly worked for years on priority issues such as housing, health care, childcare, the cost of college education and many others with an array of partners such as Stay Work Play. Together, these advocates help make NH an even better place to live, learn, work and play.
Michael Skelton is president and CEO of the Business & Industry Association in Concord. Visit BIAofNH.com for more information.
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