How many renters live in Merrimack County, New Hampshire?
The County of Merrimack County has 156,020 people living in 62,024 households.
There are 33,860 renters living in 16,253 renter households in this County. Renters make up 21.7 percent of the population living in Merrimack County.
What is the rental market like in Merrimack County, New Hampshire?
There are an estimated 65,744 housing units in the Merrimack County area. Of these, 16,607 units are rental homes, making up 25 percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, there are 1 rental units.
What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Merrimack County?
The rental vacancy rate in Merrimack County is 4 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.
How many rental units are in Merrimack County for each bedroom size?
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Merrimack County
| Studio | One-Bedroom | Two-Bedroom | Three-Bedroom | Four+ Bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 959 | 5,364 | 6,834 | 1,909 | 455 |
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Merrimack County
A large number of apartments in Merrimack County have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.
How many renter households in Merrimack County are overburdened by housing costs?
Among renter households in this market, 37 percent have housing cost burden. Further, 19 percent of households are extremely rent overburdened. When renters pay too much for their housing, it leaves little money for other necessities like food, clothes, or medicine.
The federal government says that renters are cost-burdened if they pay more than a third of their monthly income for rent and utilities.
How Much Is Rent in Merrimack County
Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $972 to $1,900. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.
| Bed Size | 2024 Fair Market Rents |
| Studio | $972 |
| One BR | $1,086 |
| Two BR | $1,427 |
| Three BR | $1,877 |
| Four BR | $1,900 |
2024 Fair Market Rents in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Merrimack County?
Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.
These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:
| Unit Size | Count of Units Below FMR | Percentage of Total Units Below FMR |
| Studio | 518 | 54 percent |
| One BR | 3,283 | 61 percent |
| Two BR | 4,060 | 59 percent |
Rental Units Below FMR in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
How many affordable rental units are in Merrimack County?
There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Merrimack County, New Hampshire including the following:
| Federal Program | Unit Count |
| Low Income Housing Tax Credit | 761 |
| Public Housing | 262 |
| Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance | 966 |
| Mod Rehab Project-Based Rental Assistance | 8 |
| Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly | 192 |
| Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities | 27 |
| USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing | 435 |
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.
Income Based Apartments in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
Merrimack County features 1,664 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.
Low Rent Apartments in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
There are 793 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Merrimack County.
Housing Choice Vouchers in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Merrimack County landlords $800 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $400 towards rent in Merrimack County.
The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Merrimack County, New Hampshire for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,284 and $1,570.
Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.
