New Hampshire Issues Housing Report on Statewide Building Permits

CONCORD, N.H., Feb. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) released its annual report on housing supply from its Office of Planning and Development (OPD). While the number of housing units permitted by municipalities in 2020 was in line with the number of units permitted in recent years, solutions are still needed to meet the demand of New Hampshire's communities and the economy.

New Hampshire added 4,446 units to its housing supply in 2020, slightly less than in 2019 when housing stock increased by 4,483. This drop of 37 units, while small, is the first year since 2013 that the total number of new housing units permitted by towns and cities in the state has decreased. Total building activity at the beginning of this decade is less than half of the peak level in the early 2000s.

"This report is a reminder that New Hampshire's appeal and pro-growth economy requires that we continue working on solutions to provide housing to meet the demand," said BEA Commissioner Taylor Caswell.

"We're prepared to tackle the housing demand influx head on," said OPD Principal Planner Ken Gallager. "Our in-depth analysis of housing market trends, coupled with expertise in planning and zoning best practices will inform local and state stakeholders on how to best navigate and alleviate the strain on supply."

According to the U.S. Census, New Hampshire saw a population growth of 5,500 between July 2019 and July 2020, and a recent Migration Patterns Study from Atlas Van Lines shows that the state registered the fourth highest percentage (61.6%) of inbound moves in the U.S in 2020.

Single-family homes comprised 59.2% of permits issued statewide in 2020, up from 50.4%. Multi-family units comprised 36.8% of the total, and manufactured housing made up 4.0%. Though single-family permits increased by 372, the number of multi-family permits issued decreased by 486 compared to 2019.

As of 2021, the total housing supply in the state, assuming the construction of all units permitted in 2020, is estimated to be 642,800 units, 0.7% higher than the number of housing units recorded during the 2020 census.

At the community level, 57 towns across New Hampshire issued permits that added more than
1% to their single-family housing stock of the previous year, up from 33 towns in 2019. The communities issuing more than 50 permits for single-family homes were:

Town Name - Permits    
1. Milford - 115
2. Londonderry - 92
3. Salem - 67
4. Merrimack - 58
5. Rochester - 55
6. Raymond - 52

The following towns issued single-family housing permits representing an increase of more than 2% to their existing stock:

Town Name - Permits - Increase
1. Brentwood - 44 - 3.49%
2. Milford - 115 - 3.26%
3. Candia - 41 - 2.80%
4. Danville - 30 - 2.32%
5. Lincoln - 10 - 2.25%
6. Brookline - 39 - 2.12%

The full OPD 2021 Housing Report can be found here.

OPD offers a free webinar series every third Thursday of the month. On February 17, they will discuss the findings of the 2021 Housing Report. The series will include an in-depth analysis of the state's progress in meeting sufficient housing needs and will offer strategies for local planners.

About the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs
The Office of Planning and Development is part of the Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA). Their office provides programs, services, data and mapping, training and outreach, and resources to assist municipalities and other stakeholders on issues pertaining to planning and zoning issues and regulations, land use, and land protection. BEA is dedicated to enhancing the economic vitality of the State of New Hampshire while promoting it as a destination for domestic and international visitors. For more information visit http://www.nheconomy.com or http://www.choosenh.com.

Media Contact

Sam Brancato, Violet PR, 8627543332, [email protected]

SOURCE New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs