Poverty and living standards in New Hampshire, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 7.3% of people in New Hampshire lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 100,256 people; the lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in New Hampshire gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for New Hampshire was 7.5% (98,310 people), so the rate is down 0.2 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in New Hampshire?
7.0% of children under 18 in New Hampshire were in poverty in 2024, about 17,170 children; the lowest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 8.5% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in New Hampshire?
The Gini index of household income inequality in New Hampshire was 0.4478 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); joint 8th least unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in New Hampshire are cost-burdened?
49.4% of renting households in New Hampshire spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 23.2% spent half or more; the 30% share is 25th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in New Hampshire get food stamps?
6.5% of households in New Hampshire (37,069) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 5th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 40% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 68% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in New Hampshire?
An average of 75,857 people in New Hampshire received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), down 1.4% on fiscal 2024 (76,909), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in New Hampshire?
SNAP benefits paid in New Hampshire totaled $153.34 million in fiscal 2025, an average of $168.45 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 3rd smallest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in New Hampshire?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 2,406 people experiencing homelessness in New Hampshire, up 7.2% on 2024 (2,245) and up 72.3% on 2019 (1,396); 9th smallest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in New Hampshire sleep outside?
Of those counted in New Hampshire in January 2025, 1,754 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 652 (27.1%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 26th highest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in New Hampshire?
The January 2025 count in New Hampshire included 733 people in families with children, 425 children under 18, 710 chronically homeless individuals and 140 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in New Hampshire are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 7.4% of households in New Hampshire were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; the lowest among the 50 states and DC and statistically lower than the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in New Hampshire getting worse?
3.2% of households in New Hampshire had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 5.7% in 2018-20 and 10.2% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +1.7 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow New Hampshire compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
New Hampshire ranks 51 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Colorado | 9.6% |
| 46 | Minnesota | 9.3% |
| 47 | Vermont | 9.3% |
| 48 | New Jersey | 9.2% |
| 49 | Maryland | 9.2% |
| 50 | Utah | 8.4% |
| 51 | New Hampshire | 7.3% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
New Hampshire ranks 51 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Colorado | 11.2% |
| 46 | Idaho | 10.9% |
| 47 | Wyoming | 10.2% |
| 48 | Vermont | 9.7% |
| 49 | Minnesota | 9.6% |
| 50 | Utah | 8.6% |
| 51 | New Hampshire | 7.0% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
New Hampshire ranks 43 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Hawaii | 0.4542 |
| 41 | Indiana | 0.4523 |
| 42 | Minnesota | 0.4521 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 0.4478 |
| 44 | Delaware | 0.4478 |
| 45 | Nebraska | 0.4458 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 0.4433 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
New Hampshire ranks 26 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Tennessee | 50.2% |
| 24 | Maine | 50.2% |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 49.4% |
| 26 | New Hampshire | 49.4% |
| 27 | Virginia | 49.3% |
| 28 | Vermont | 48.8% |
| 29 | Illinois | 48.7% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
New Hampshire ranks 47 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Idaho | 7.2% |
| 45 | South Dakota | 7.1% |
| 46 | Montana | 7.0% |
| 47 | New Hampshire | 6.5% |
| 48 | North Dakota | 6.4% |
| 49 | Kansas | 5.9% |
| 50 | Wyoming | 5.6% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
New Hampshire ranks 51 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Massachusetts | 9.3% |
| 46 | Vermont | 9.2% |
| 47 | Minnesota | 9.1% |
| 48 | South Dakota | 9.0% |
| 49 | District of Columbia | 8.8% |
| 50 | North Dakota | 8.6% |
| 51 | New Hampshire | 7.4% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
New Hampshire ranks 43 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Nebraska | 2,656 |
| 41 | Alaska | 2,655 |
| 42 | Maine | 2,413 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 2,406 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | 2,373 |
| 45 | Montana | 2,263 |
| 46 | West Virginia | 1,925 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
New Hampshire ranks 26 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Montana | 31.2% |
| 24 | North Carolina | 30.9% |
| 25 | Colorado | 30.4% |
| 26 | New Hampshire | 27.1% |
| 27 | Rhode Island | 26.0% |
| 28 | South Dakota | 25.0% |
| 29 | Indiana | 23.0% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
New Hampshire ranks 46 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | Idaho | 133,123 |
| 44 | Delaware | 118,828 |
| 45 | Montana | 79,828 |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 75,857 |
| 47 | South Dakota | 75,176 |
| 48 | Vermont | 64,802 |
| 49 | Alaska | 64,610 |
More on New Hampshire: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
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