Poverty Rates in New Hampshire
Manchester and Coos County Have Most Poverty in State
With a poverty rate of 6.6%, New Hampshire has the absolute lowest poverty rate in the United States with Minnesota trailing just behind.
However, even this means very little to the 6.6% of the population living below the poverty line in New Hampshire. This article is about them.
Where the Worst Poverty in New Hampshire Occurs
Since the poverty rate in New Hampshire is so low, it is important to realize that a county or major city with a critical poverty rate in New Hampshire isn’t nearly as bad as a critical poverty rate in other states.
There is only one major city and one county in New Hampshire with a critical poverty rate (at least 50% above the state average).
The major city (at least 25,000 people) with a critical rate of poverty is Manchester with a poverty rate of 10.6%.
The county with a critical rate of poverty is Coos with a poverty rate of 10.2% (see map below article).
It is important to remember, however, that even though these are considered critical rates of poverty in New Hampshire, they are still lower than the United States average poverty rate of 12.7%.
Why the Worst Poverty in New Hampshire Exists
Since critical levels of poverty in New Hampshire occur in two very different places, the problem should be looked at from both a rural perspective for Coos County and an urban perspective for Manchester.
The population density in Coos County is over seven times lower than the average population density of the state of New Hampshire.
Poverty in rural areas like the northern region of New Hampshire is oftentimes caused by a lack of access to utilities, education, jobs, and health care.
The distance from the major cities also causes an information deficit, and residents in these rural areas will have much less of a political voice than people living in the major cities.
Critical poverty in urban areas like Manchester, on the other hand, is oftentimes caused by a higher cost of living than what a low-income family can afford to pay for.
This leads to a lack of saved up assets, and an extreme vulnerability to any kind of financial crisis.
All of this aside, it is important to keep in mind that the reasons for poverty are as unique as the individuals who live through it. Though finding trends in a specific area is important, no generalization can account for everyone.
What is Being Done about Poverty in New Hampshire
Since New Hampshire does have the lowest poverty rate in the United States, politicians seem to be paying relatively less attention to the impoverished people living in New Hampshire.
However, there are many organizations that have been busy keeping the poverty rate low in New Hampshire.
Examples of some of these organizations include the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Food Bank, and Volunteers of America Northern New England.
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation even held a Coos County Symposium for three days in May. The symposium focused on bringing communities together and enacting poverty-fighting programs that have been tried in other rural areas across the United States.
Other friends of the working poor in New Hampshire’s more urban areas are legislators who worked to raise the minimum wage.
A higher minimum wage will mean that working-class families will be much better able to sustain themselves and their families without assistance.
References:
United States Census Bureau
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
