Report: 46.6% of New Hampshire renters are cost-burdened

Data shows number of burdened renters grew 2 percent in 2017

Some 46.6 percent of New Hampshire renters are cost-burdened, meaning they are spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing, almost half of those are severely cost-burdened, spending 50 percent of or more of their income on rent.

The numbers come from a report released by Apartment List, “Housing Policy in America,” which analyzed new data from the U.S. Census and which found that, nationally, 50 percent of American renters are cost-burdened.

According to the data, the share of renters nationally who are cost-burdened fell slightly from 2016 to 2017, but in New Hampshire the rate actually rose 2.0 percent from 2016.

All told, the report found that 71,052 New Hampshire households were cost-burdened in 2017; in 2007, 54,782 faces the same difficulties. In 2017, 37,330 households were moderately cost-burdened and 33,772 severely cost-burdened.

In 2007, the percentage of cost-burdened households in New Hampshire was 44.2 percent, according to the report.

The report also includes separate data on the Manchester rental market, where it found that some 45.4 percent of Manchester renters are cost-burdened, with a little less than half of them severely cost-burdened. The Manchester rate was up 0.1 percent from 2016. 

All told, the report found that 24,472 Manchester households are cost-burdened – a figure that has grown by 4,331 since 2007. Some 12,973 of them were moderately cost-burdened in 2017 and 11,499 severely cost-burdened.

To see the full report, click here.