Author: Paul Briand

Trouble on the home front

Permitting and construction of new homes is up, but it’s still at historic lows and not enough to keep up with demand. The recent housing production is mostly single-family, with a smattering of multi-family developments but relatively few duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes.

Higher density cited as a solution to curb cost of new housing

Ask a developer about the best way to bring down the cost of new housing in New Hampshire, and he’ll tell you it’s allowing more density. That was the case Sept. 17 when New Hampshire Business Review (NHBR) hosted a webinar on housing that included Eric Jackson from the Stabile Companies, a housing developer/builder based in Nashua.

Granite Staters wary about the high cost of living

Because of tariffs, the war with Iran, and other White House policies, New Hampshire families have had to spend an additional $4,800 or more on goods and services, according to U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-NH.

NH’s rankings reflect the good and the bad

There are any number of reports, surveys, and rankings that show how well — or how poorly — New Hampshire is doing on a range of issues. Everything from education funding to safety to having a baby to business opportunities to student loan delinquency — it seems everything can be measured in one form or another, often as a yardstick against other states.

Tenovi earns national ranking

Becoming a top-ranked private company in the United States came as a bit of a surprise to the team at Tenovi, a Portsmouth-based developer of connected medical devices.

NH home prices climb toward $600,000

Inching closer to an unprecedented $600,000 threshold, the median price of a single-family home in New Hampshire reached an historic high of $580,000 in July. After what appeared to be a possible leveling off period at the beginning of the selling season, home prices surged in July to the $580,000 mark, up from $575,000 in June, up from $560,000 in April, and up from $549,700 in July of 2025. That’s a one-year jump of 5.51%.

Ayotte’s transportation plan veto raises questions about effect on NH economy

The state’s highway infrastructure is in great need of repair, according to a 2026 independent report that ties the improvements directly to the health of New Hampshire’s economy. Long-term needs are currently underfunded, says TRIP (The Road Information Program), a private, nonprofit organization that researches surface transportation issues across the country.

NH’s ‘Optics Valley’

Precision optics is likely one of the biggest manufacturing sectors in New Hampshire that most Granite Staters have never heard of.

Child care and state-owned land updates coming to NH Zoning Atlas

The New Hampshire Zoning Atlas continues to deepen its knowledge and utility with two updates having to do with child care and state-owned property. The child care element seeks to reflect changes to local regulations for both family and center-based care as a result of the latest legislative action on the issue.

Overcoming skepticism, putting AI to work

At Blueline Advisors in Exeter, chief investment officer Frank Sabin is embracing AI, with the help of the students, to better serve his clients, who have entrusted about $250 million in assets in his care.

Federal and state housing legislation wrestle with affordability crisis

As Granite Staters eye ever-increasing purchase prices for a single-family home, state and federal policy makers wrestle with solutions that create more housing supply. Among them is bipartisan federal legislation on housing that is being held hostage by President Donald Trump’s fixation on a bill that would require voters to provide proof of citizenship with such documents as U.S. passports or birth certificates.

Manchester and Nashua: Best bang for the buck in NH

Two New Hampshire cities are among the 10 best-run cities in the country, according to a WalletHub analysis of U.S. communities where residents get the most bang for their taxes. Manchester was rated No. 3, while Nashua was close behind at No. 5., based on a “Quality of Services” score that WalletHub developed using 36 metrics across six key service areas — financial stability, education, health, safety, economy and infrastructure/pollution.

NH welcomes Gen Z’ers — affordability challenges await

A new report says an influx of new Granite Staters is coming primarily from neighboring Massachusetts, and most of them are younger, part of Gen Z, the cohort of people born roughly between 1997 and 2012. But another report says the newbies, like already established residents here, face affordability challenges when it comes to housing and child care.

Are home prices closing in on a $600,000 median?

The median priced single-family home in the Granite State reached another all-time high at $579,900, according to data from the New Hampshire Association of Realtors. That breaks the previous high mark of $569,000 in June of last year.

Driven by defense

New Hampshire’s growing role in military and security related manufacturing was on display June 3 in Nashua. About 200 people, representing advanced manufacturing interests both in the state and regionally, registered for the Northeast National Security Conference that organizer Julie Demers said goes “beyond traditional defense that people would think of.”

Home rules

Landmark legislation that originated in New Hampshire 43 years ago is being put to the test today as for-profit investors snap up manufactured home communities here and across the country.

‘Been there, done that’

With his America Skiing Company — which operated from 1994 to 2007 and ran nine resorts in New Hampshire, Maine, Utah, Colorado and…

Gas prices cause NH economic indigestion

New Hampshire is feeling some economic indigestion at the start of the summer season, and the main culprit is gas. Six in 10 (61%) of respondents to a new University of New Hampshire polls are worried about the current and future price of gas, and a clear majority put the blame on President Donald Trump.

Critical care

The Central and Northern New Hampshire nonprofit soon will be expanding to 11 centers statewide

Panel: Prioritize mental health wellness at work

Mental health wellness is an important element in the workplace, according to a panel of experts convened by the NH Business Review in an April 16 webinar. Making accommodations for mental health issues — including depression, posttraumatic stress, even grief — can go a long way toward employee retention and prevention of potential legal issues.

ADUs, manufactured homes can help with NH housing crisis

Single-family and condominium alternatives, such as manufactured homes and accessory dwellings units (ADUs), could go a long way toward helping ease New Hampshire’s housing crisis. But those options can have some obstacles, according to participants in a forum.