Americans Are Flocking to These 5 Fastest-Growing Counties in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a small state in the New England region. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the state was home to a total of just 1,377,518 people. That means the state ranks 42^nd overall in terms of population in the country. Nevertheless, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the state experienced a population increase to 1,395,231 between 2020 and 2022. Discover the 5 fastest-growing counties in New Hampshire and see which areas of the state are growing and why that’s the case.

New Hampshire only has 10 counties, and the recent population estimates show that all of these areas saw at least a small population increase. For this article, we are going to look at the counties that experienced the greatest increase in population. The information is sourced directly from the July 2022 estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the most recent data.

5. Strafford County

Strafford County is located in the eastern part of the state, and it borders the southwestern part of Maine along the Piscataqua River. The county has a total area of about 384 square miles, and it is home to the city of Dover.

Strafford County’s population in 2020 was about 130,895 people. From that point until 2022, the county’s population rose to 132,275 people. That means 1,380 more people joined the ranks of Strafford County over the last two years, a total change of 1.05%.  

4. Carroll County

Carroll County is in eastern-central New Hampshire along the border with Maine. This area is home to a portion of Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire. This county ranks 7^th in terms of counties by population, but the area has received a recent influx of people.  

Carroll County had an initial population of 50,098 people in April 2020. From there, the population grew steadily over the next two years to reach 52,199 people. The population changed by a total of 2,101 people, and that equals a total percent increase of 4.19%!

Overall, the population in this county did not increase by a huge number. Yet, the percent change is huge, making this small area one of the fastest-growing counties in New Hampshire.

3. Merrimack County

Merrimack County is in the central part of the state. The county has the Mt. Kearsarge State Forest Park along with a part of the Bear Brook Park. Aside from being a haven for natural areas, the region is the third-most populous county in the state. Concord, the state capital, is in this county, and it contains almost 44,000 people on its own.

The 2020 Census found that 153,800 people lived in Merrimack County as of April of that year. By July 2022, the population in this region swelled to an impressive 156,020. So, a total of 2,220 people settled in this county throughout the last two years. This population increase represents a net gain of 1.44% of people, a modest increase.

People may have come to this county in large numbers to take jobs in Concord or to be closer to nature.

2. Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County lies in southern New Hampshire, sharing a border with Massachusetts. The area is home to several somewhat large cities, like Manchester and Nashua.

Hillsborough County is the most populous county in the Granite State. The initial 2020 population in this county was 422,941 people. Yet, that number grew by quite a bit to an estimated 426,594 residents in July 2022. So, this region was one of the fastest-growing counties in New Hampshire between 2020 and 2022, gaining 3,653 residents. Still, the percentage growth is not that high in this region owing to its large populace.

The fact that this county is so close to the Boston Metro area provides some insight into why people moved here. Many people would have come to Hillsborough County because it is home to Manchester, the most populous city in New Hampshire.

This area would have homes, jobs, and recreation available to those who transplanted themselves into the state. The same people would have still been close to their hometowns if they came from Boston or other nearby cities.

1. Rockingham County

Rockingham County is in the southeastern part of the state, sharing a border with Massachusetts and Maine. Rockingham County is the leader of the pack as the fastest-growing county in New Hampshire by sheer population growth.

The population in Rockingham County was initially 314,182 in 2020. That number rose to an estimated 319,424 by 2022. That means this region gained 5,242 people, the most of any county in the state, while also boasting a 1.67% population increase.

The fact that this state is so close to Massachusetts probably led to its population growth. After all, the state has lost an estimated 50,000 people from 2020 to 2022, many from the Boston area. A move across the border would provide new opportunities without moving too far upstate.

We’ve considered the fastest-growing counties in New Hampshire and found that an additional 17,713 people have come to the state over the last two years, a rise of 1.28%. Why is that the case? Well, several possibilities exist for why people are coming to this state in greater numbers than before.

First, people left highly populated areas during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. People were suddenly left without jobs and needed to find new ones, found that they could work remotely while living in another area, or simply wanted to be away from densely populated areas.

Another possibility is that rising housing costs and challenges of living in urban areas made people seek out the state. Individuals leaving places like Boston or places in Connecticut could have easily made their way to various parts of New Hampshire.

Overall, though, the reasons for people moving to the Granite State are varied and will be more easily examined in the coming years.