New Hampshire Business Review - Jan. 16, 2026

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.

No homes, no workforce

Housing continues to be the limiting factor to New Hampshire’s economic growth. That fact adds to the importance of a report the state issued in January that found housing production, as tracked by permits, reached a 20-year high in 2025.

Preparing for NH’s parental medical leave law

Now that 2026 is underway, New Hampshire employers should turn their attention to the state’s new Parental Medical Leave law (PML). Effective January 1, 2026, most employers with 20 or more employees are required to provide unpaid leave to allow employees to attend childbirth-related medical appointments, postpartum care and pediatric visits during a child’s first year.