What is New Hampshire? 2010 Edition

Full Report (PDF)

Executive Summary

The question “What is New Hampshire?” has never been more timely than it is right now. Every state across the country has experienced significant economic change, and with it has come serious impacts on the status quo. The face of New Hampshire is changing considerably, the implications of which are not well understood. Whether looking at demographics, the underlying state economy, the state budget, or politics and place, New Hampshire is a state in flux. Critical policy questions are raised by these changes.

Since the Center updates this document on an annual basis, we thought it might be helpful to highlight some of the areas where most change occurred.

Here is what’s new in What is NH?

• We added a new section in the front of the report, “Myths About New Hampshire”, which corrects some longtime myths about the state. This data was developed as part of the Center’s partnership with the New Hampshire Forum on the Future.
• The economics section was updated to examine New Hampshire after the Great Recession.
• The local government section includes our work on “The Common Burden”.
• The state budget section includes an in depth discussion of the coming biennium.
• Public education in New Hampshire focuses more fully on the new adequacy formula.
• The healthcare section discusses New Hampshire in the context of recent national healthcare legislation and reform.
• The section on crime and corrections highlights the recent Justice Reinvestment Initiative.
• Finally, we have added another new section on substance use and abuse.