NH Housing is sending survey invitations to roughly 34,000 households that pay rent across Merrimack, Rockingham and Strafford counties in a federally supervised effort to update the Fair Market Rent for the Portsmouth–Rochester area, the agency announced Oct. 27.
What the survey will ask
The questionnaire, conducted by Econometrica, Inc., on contract with NH Housing, seeks information about current rent, utilities, unit size, and building type. Responses from private market renters are intended to supplement rental data used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to set Fair Market Rents, which influence voucher values and other federal housing resources.
“The housing crisis is real in New Hampshire, and good housing decisions require good local data,” said Brendan Goodwin, NH Housing managing director of assisted housing. “We need renters at every income level, not just households receiving housing assistance, to respond if selected. Their participation can help ensure that HUD understands what New Hampshire renters are actually paying for housing.”
The survey is voluntary, will take about 10 minutes to complete for those invited, and NH Housing says responses will be kept confidential and used only for the rent study.
Why Merrimack county is being re-evaluated
HUD published its fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents in September, which went into effect Oct. 1 for most of New Hampshire’s 14 HUD zones. NH Housing requested a re-evaluation for Merrimack County as part of the federally defined Portsmouth–Rochester HUD Metro area; that request is one of 19 nationwide HUD received after the FY2027 FMRs were released.
The re-evaluation process begins with household surveys to capture rent levels and housing characteristics not fully reflected in other data sources. NH Housing said the study covers the Merrimack County portion of the Portsmouth–Rochester Fair Market Rent area.
- About 34,000 renter households will receive invitations.
- Survey covers Merrimack, Rockingham and Strafford counties.
- Results will be submitted to HUD for consideration in FMR re-evaluation.
HUD’s Fair Market Rents are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and affect other federal housing programs that help families find and keep rental housing. NH Housing urged those selected to participate so the federal figures better reflect local market conditions.
NH Housing contracted Econometrica to carry out the study. The agency said the survey is open to renters of any status, not only those receiving housing assistance.
