Spending on K-12 public education in the United States passed the $1 trillion mark in the 2024 fiscal year, just-released data from the federal National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reveal. “Time to update all mentions of the size of this sector,” commented the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. “Revenues […]
The debate over public school open enrollment is over. How do we know? Opponents have conceded the main point: Open enrollment benefits students. Senate Bill 101, arguably the most important bill of the 2026 legislative session, would let students enroll in any New Hampshire public school that has room for them. Have a problem with […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_368060360-scaled.jpg24022560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2026-04-22 17:51:482026-04-22 17:51:48Even open enrollment opponents say it will benefit students
Movers from Massachusetts to New Hampshire brought with them $5.95 billion in net adjusted gross income (AGI) from 2012-2023, IRS data show, representing a massive transfer of wealth from the high-tax Bay State to low-tax New Hampshire. New Hampshire’s net personal income gain from Massachusetts movers grew tenfold from 2012-2019, then suddenly doubled to a […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1553068589-scaled.jpg15582560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2026-04-15 11:15:502026-04-15 11:17:40Mass refugees have brought $6 billion in personal income to NH since 2012
Removing candy and soft drinks from New Hampshire’s SNAP program would cost retailers an estimated $5.3 million-$17.8 million a year in lost candy and soft drink sales alone, a new study by the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy finds. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have […]
As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, half of New Hampshire renters live in units built before the country celebrated its 200th birthday. The median renter-occupied housing unit in New Hampshire was built in 1975, making it 51 years old this year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. By contrast, the median renter-occupied unit […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_2632184541-scaled.jpg19202560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2026-04-01 12:13:442026-04-01 12:14:23NH’s rental housing is significantly older than its owner-occupied housing
New Hampshire ranked No. 1 in taxpayer return on investment (ROI) for the 11th year in a row, according to financial services website WalletHub. “New Hampshire is the state with the best taxpayer return on investment, which is due in large part to the fact that it has no state income tax,” WalletHub’s report concludes. […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_1904420431-scaled.jpg13682560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2026-03-24 15:10:082026-03-24 15:10:08NH ranks first in taxpayer ROI for 11th straight year
Massachusetts lost an estimated 145,000 residents to New Hampshire over the last 20 years, a Josiah Bartlett Center analysis of U.S. Census migration data shows. For scale, that number of people living in one place would be Massachusetts’ fourth-largest city, larger than Cambridge and slightly smaller than Springfield. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 369,368 […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_491680945-scaled.jpg17092560Editorial Staffhttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngEditorial Staff2026-03-24 12:34:272026-03-24 12:35:11Massachusetts lost 145,000 residents to New Hampshire over the last 20 years
Gov. Kelly Ayotte on Monday vetoed House Bill 451, which would have established a statewide paint recycling program funded by an “assessment” on paint. Merriam-Webster notes that for more than 500 years the word “assessment” has meant “to determine the rate or amount of (a tax).” Gov. Ayotte correctly called the assessment a tax, and […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_2756052493-scaled.jpg25602560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2026-03-18 14:41:562026-03-18 14:41:56First a paint tax, now a battery tax
The Manchester Transit Authority (MTA) has dramatically expanded its bus routes and coverage area over the last dozen years, pushing operating costs higher. Yet as costs and coverage soared, ridership sank. As the mayor and aldermen search for savings in a stressed city budget, the MTA is an agency that could be scrutinized for possible […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/images-12.jpeg179282Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2026-03-18 12:36:492026-03-18 12:36:49Manchester Transit Authority spending surged as ridership fell over the last dozen years
New Hampshire led the American colonies 250 years ago by adopt a constitution that created an independent government before anyone else. So it’s fitting that in 2026 New Hampshire could achieve another first for independence. Like all Americans, government employees have the constitutional right to free speech and free association. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme […]
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_717205138-scaled.jpg17072560Andrew Clinehttps://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.pngAndrew Cline2026-03-10 16:43:302026-03-10 16:43:30NH could be the first state to let non-union public employees negotiate their contracts
US public school spending hits $1 trillion; NH ranks 7th per-pupil
BLOG, EDUCATIONSpending on K-12 public education in the United States passed the $1 trillion mark in the 2024 fiscal year, just-released data from the federal National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reveal. “Time to update all mentions of the size of this sector,” commented the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. “Revenues […]
Even open enrollment opponents say it will benefit students
EDUCATION, FEATUREDThe debate over public school open enrollment is over. How do we know? Opponents have conceded the main point: Open enrollment benefits students. Senate Bill 101, arguably the most important bill of the 2026 legislative session, would let students enroll in any New Hampshire public school that has room for them. Have a problem with […]
Mass refugees have brought $6 billion in personal income to NH since 2012
BLOG, ECONOMY, FEATUREDMovers from Massachusetts to New Hampshire brought with them $5.95 billion in net adjusted gross income (AGI) from 2012-2023, IRS data show, representing a massive transfer of wealth from the high-tax Bay State to low-tax New Hampshire. New Hampshire’s net personal income gain from Massachusetts movers grew tenfold from 2012-2019, then suddenly doubled to a […]
SNAP candy & soft drink ban would hurt retailers
ECONOMY, FEATUREDRemoving candy and soft drinks from New Hampshire’s SNAP program would cost retailers an estimated $5.3 million-$17.8 million a year in lost candy and soft drink sales alone, a new study by the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy finds. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have […]
NH’s rental housing is significantly older than its owner-occupied housing
FEATURED, HOUSING, REGULATION, UncategorizedAs America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, half of New Hampshire renters live in units built before the country celebrated its 200th birthday. The median renter-occupied housing unit in New Hampshire was built in 1975, making it 51 years old this year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. By contrast, the median renter-occupied unit […]
NH ranks first in taxpayer ROI for 11th straight year
BLOG, BUDGETNew Hampshire ranked No. 1 in taxpayer return on investment (ROI) for the 11th year in a row, according to financial services website WalletHub. “New Hampshire is the state with the best taxpayer return on investment, which is due in large part to the fact that it has no state income tax,” WalletHub’s report concludes. […]
Massachusetts lost 145,000 residents to New Hampshire over the last 20 years
BLOG, ECONOMY, FEATUREDMassachusetts lost an estimated 145,000 residents to New Hampshire over the last 20 years, a Josiah Bartlett Center analysis of U.S. Census migration data shows. For scale, that number of people living in one place would be Massachusetts’ fourth-largest city, larger than Cambridge and slightly smaller than Springfield. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 369,368 […]
First a paint tax, now a battery tax
BLOG, TAXATIONGov. Kelly Ayotte on Monday vetoed House Bill 451, which would have established a statewide paint recycling program funded by an “assessment” on paint. Merriam-Webster notes that for more than 500 years the word “assessment” has meant “to determine the rate or amount of (a tax).” Gov. Ayotte correctly called the assessment a tax, and […]
Manchester Transit Authority spending surged as ridership fell over the last dozen years
BLOG, FEATURED, LOCAL GOVERNMENTThe Manchester Transit Authority (MTA) has dramatically expanded its bus routes and coverage area over the last dozen years, pushing operating costs higher. Yet as costs and coverage soared, ridership sank. As the mayor and aldermen search for savings in a stressed city budget, the MTA is an agency that could be scrutinized for possible […]
NH could be the first state to let non-union public employees negotiate their contracts
BETTER GOVERNMENT, FEATUREDNew Hampshire led the American colonies 250 years ago by adopt a constitution that created an independent government before anyone else. So it’s fitting that in 2026 New Hampshire could achieve another first for independence. Like all Americans, government employees have the constitutional right to free speech and free association. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme […]