Can households afford energy in New Hampshire?
18th of 51. All New Hampshire households: 3.3% ($3,604 of $108,713). Same income group, U.S.: 8.3%. Under 30% of median: 18.4% on $10,578. Renters 2.8%, owners 3.4%.
New Hampshire burden by income bracket
At or above 6% in New Hampshire: under 30%, 30% to 60%. Together 26% of homes (143,726 of 545,116).
New Hampshire burden, % of income
- 18.4Under 30%
- 8.130% to 60%
- 5.960% to 80%
- 4.580% to 100%
- 2.5Over 100%
Getting the average under-30% household in New Hampshire down to 6% takes $1,312 off its $1,947 energy cost, or $21,872 more income.
New Hampshire income, cost and burden
| Bracket | New Hampshire homes | Share | New Hampshire income | Electric | All energy | New Hampshire burden | U.S. burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30% | 55,375 | 10% | $10,578 | $961 | $1,947 | 18.4% | 17.0% |
| 30% to 60% | 88,351 | 16% | $33,648 | $1,291 | $2,715 | 8.1% | 6.3% |
| 60% to 80% | 65,488 | 12% | $57,210 | $1,557 | $3,372 | 5.9% | 4.3% |
| 80% to 100% | 60,953 | 11% | $81,690 | $1,689 | $3,706 | 4.5% | 3.4% |
| Over 100% | 274,950 | 50% | $170,856 | $1,931 | $4,255 | 2.5% | 1.6% |
| All | 545,116 | 100% | $108,713 | $1,657 | $3,604 | 3.3% | 2.2% |
Renters, owners and fuel in New Hampshire
Renters pay $1,385 on $48,829 (2.8%); owners $4,455 on $131,693 (3.4%); U.S. 2.4% and 2.2%. Most common fuel: fuel oil, 42% of homes. Heaviest burden: fuel oil, 3.7%.
| New Hampshire heating fuel | Homes | Share | New Hampshire income | All energy | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 56,948 | 10.4% | $65,089 | $1,560 | 2.4% |
| Utility gas | 115,678 | 21.2% | $99,863 | $2,301 | 2.3% |
| Bottled gas (propane) | 97,037 | 17.8% | $131,174 | $4,704 | 3.6% |
| Fuel oil | 227,504 | 41.7% | $116,758 | $4,328 | 3.7% |
| Wood, coal, solar and other | 47,949 | 8.8% | $98,250 | $3,513 | 3.6% |
Your burden against New Hampshire
Help and shutoff rules in New Hampshire
FY2024 LIHEAP heating help: 28,356 homes, 20 per 100 under 60% of median.
FY2026 funding snapshot $33,348,323, $232 per such home.
Eligibility listed: 60% State Median Income.
Benefits listed: Heating: $100 minimum, $2,177 maximum Winter Crisis: $2,177 Winter maximum Weatherization: $20,000 maximum.
Programs named for New Hampshire: Electrical Assistance Program(EAP).
- LIHEAP phone 603-271-3670
- Clearinghouse snapshot, New Hampshire
- New Hampshire help with your bill
New Hampshire has a cold-weather clause; wording on the help page.
Read: N.H. Code Admin. R. Puc 1201.02, 1202 (definitions), 1203.07, 1203.11, 1204.01-1204.06, 1205.01-1205.02 (Chapter Puc 1200), checked 2026-10-02; some utilities only.
Not legal advice. Ask your New Hampshire utility.
Highest-burden New Hampshire counties
10 counties with 1,000+ homes; top: Coos County at 5.0%, lowest of the 10: Hillsborough County at 3.0%.
| New Hampshire county | Homes | Income | All energy | Burden | Under 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coos County | 13,620 | $73,026 | $3,690 | 5.0% | 10.7% |
| Carroll County | 21,644 | $92,229 | $3,802 | 4.1% | 11.3% |
| Sullivan County | 15,893 | $86,195 | $3,540 | 4.1% | 10.7% |
| Cheshire County | 30,307 | $89,177 | $3,508 | 3.9% | 9.8% |
| Belknap County | 25,956 | $97,206 | $3,784 | 3.9% | 9.9% |
| Grafton County | 35,084 | $96,521 | $3,666 | 3.8% | 11.2% |
| Strafford County | 50,953 | $97,665 | $3,379 | 3.5% | 9.8% |
| Merrimack County | 59,851 | $103,267 | $3,475 | 3.4% | 9.4% |
Next to New Hampshire in the ranking
More
Sources
DOE LEAD 2022; LIHEAP Clearinghouse; CSV.
Questions
How much of income do New Hampshire households spend on energy?
3.3% for all households ($3,604 of $108,713) and 9.8% under 60% of median income. U.S.: 2.2%, 8.3%.
Who is hit hardest in New Hampshire?
Households under 30% of median income: 18.4%, 55,375 homes spending $1,947 on $10,578.
How many New Hampshire homes get LIHEAP heating help?
28,356 in FY2024, 20 per 100 homes under 60% of median; not a take-up rate.
Is electricity the whole New Hampshire energy burden?
No: electricity is 1.5% of 3.3%; gas and other fuel are the rest.