2018 State of the Upper Valley Poll

Affordable housing continues to be a concern among Upper Valley residents. There have been numerous reports in local newspapers addressing the issues and the causes of lack of affordable housing options in the Upper Valley. Despite lack of housing options, there have been difficulties in constructing new housing developments due to state and local regulations as well as litigation resulting from disagreements about the need for affordable housing in particular locations throughout the Upper Valley.

The Upper Valley Housing Survey, created by students in the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College, was sent out electronically to a random sample of registered voters in the Upper Valley for whom email addresses could be located. In addition, the survey was posted on the Upper Valley Listserv. Survey responses (N=403) were assessed to analyze the larger issues and sentiments regarding housing in the region. The questions focused on demographics and the attitudes of residents toward affordable housing. Almost two-thirds of respondents believe that current housing situation is very serious; an additional 22 percent believe it is somewhat serious. Furthermore, a majority of respondents support the creation of new affordable housing in the Upper Valley. The report further analyzes the correlation between current housing situations and income. There is a disparity between the types of housing occupied by individuals of different income brackets which points to the need for a larger variety of housing options in different price ranges.