Take 5: Gas price, tourism and health care

NH Business Review's biweekly snapshot of business and industry statistics

THE Joint Economic Committee – Minority (JECM) found that Americans have paid more than $16 billion more for gas since the start of the war in Iran. This number was nearly twice as much as the cost increase of $8.4 billion the Committee reported at the end of March. Today, the national average gas price rose to $4.558 per gallon, which is 53% higher than before the war started.

ANOTHER report conducted by JECM evaluated how tariffs under the current administration have affected tourism and its impact on local businesses. Findings showed that international tourism to the U.S. dropped in 2025, with the travel sector posting a nearly $14 billion trade deficit in 2025 — the first deficit in that sector since data collection began in 1999. In addition, the number of jobs in the hotel and lodging sector declined last year for the first time since the Great Recession, aside from a brief drop in 2020 due to the pandemic.

NEW data from Robert Half shows burnout is rising among workers. A new survey of more than 1,300 professionals shows 59% feel burned out at work, and one third say burnout has worsened over the past year. Burnout drivers cited by respondents were heavier workload from being understaffed (38%), feeling stuck in their career (26%) and lower team morale after restructuring or reductions (25%).

A recent Pew Research Center survey showed that 73% of adults now say the affordability of health care is a very big problem for the country, up 6 percentage points from February of last year. Other growing concerns Americans find the country faces include the federal budget deficit as a very big problem (64%), inflation (66%) and unemployment (36%, up 11 percentage points from 2025).

A study conducted by certified public accountants Ahad&Co CPAs determined which states have the highest and lowest lifetime property tax costs. New Hampshire ranked fourth, with an average lifetime property tax of $251,400. Homeowners in the state pay $6,285 annually on average across 40 years. The state with the highest property tax costs was New Jersey.