My Latest NHBR Column: So Close but so Different

With a population of 4600, Haverhill, NH, is wedged between the Connecticut River and White Mountains and has a rich agricultural heritage. When I first moved there in the 1980s, it was the largest dairy-producing town in the state, but family farms are nearly all gone as the economics of agriculture have changed dramatically in recent years. According to NH Employment Security, Haverhill’s 2022 median household income was $59,000 with 10% below the poverty line and 18.5% of adults ages 25 and up with bachelor’s degrees or higher.

I contrast Haverhill with Lebanon, NH, where my wife and I moved in 2023 to be closer to our son and grandson. This small city (population 15,000) has a major medical center, prosperous manufacturing businesses, and nearby Dartmouth College. Lebanon with $91,000 household income, 8.4% below the poverty line, and 55.8% with college degrees. There are many jobs in Lebanon and nearby Hanover, but most people from Haverhill and other towns cannot afford the high-priced housing there so they get by with longer commutes.  

In the 2024 Presidential election, Haverhill voters went 60% for Donald Trump and 39% for Kamala Harris, while Lebanon voted 25% for Trump and 74% for Harris. Two communities, so close but so different.  

You can see the full article at https://read.nhbr.com/nh-business-review#2025/05/09/?article=4309011&dpg=1