Why It Matters
Public opinion in New Hampshire is shifting significantly toward relaxing restrictive zoning laws, creating political pressure on state lawmakers to address housing supply constraints. This trend challenges the long-standing preference for large-lot single-family homes that has defined much of the state’s residential landscape.
What Happened
A recent survey conducted by St. Anselm College reveals a substantial increase in support among New Hampshire residents for allowing single-family homes on smaller lots. The poll, commissioned by Stay Work Play and released last week, found that 74% of registered voters now favor permitting these homes in parts of every town. This represents a notable jump from 59% support recorded in an identical survey question posed in 2025.
The data comes as local municipalities continue to embrace mixed-use apartments and large residential developments, yet state-level zoning codes remain highly restrictive. According to the New Hampshire Housing Atlas, a project of St. Anselm, 93% of the state’s zoning codes currently prohibit building single-family homes on lots smaller than one acre.
Elissa Margolin, director of the Initiative for Housing Policy and Practice at St. Anselm, noted that residents generally prefer single-family homes over other housing types. The survey also highlighted age-related preferences, with 80% of residents between 18 and 40 preferring to live in a single-family home, compared to just 10% who preferred an apartment.
By the Numbers
74% — Percentage of Granite Staters supporting single-family homes on smaller lots in parts of every town (2026 survey)
59% — Support for smaller lot sizes in the 2025 survey
93% — Percentage of New Hampshire zoning codes prohibiting single-family homes on lots smaller than 1 acre
73% — Respondents who said their community needs more affordable housing to be built (2026 poll)
63% — Respondents who said cities and towns should change zoning to allow more housing (2026 poll)
1,293 — Number of registered New Hampshire voters surveyed in late August 2026
Zoom Out
The shift in public sentiment mirrors a broader national conversation about housing affordability and zoning reform. In the 2026 St. Anselm poll, 73% of respondents supported the statement that their community needs more affordable housing to be built, up from 63% in 2020 but slightly below the 78% recorded in 2025. Additionally, 61% of respondents supported having more affordable housing in their own neighborhoods.
Support for zoning changes has grown dramatically over the past six years. In 2020, the University of New Hampshire’s Granite State Poll found that only 29% of voters supported changing zoning to allow more housing, while 42% opposed it. By contrast, the 2026 St. Anselm survey shows 63% support for zoning changes, with only 32% opposing and 5% unsure.
Despite this growing public backing, legislative action has been mixed. Senate Bill 84, introduced by Manchester Republican Sen. Keith Murphy in 2025, sought to limit minimum lot sizes for single-family homes to one acre. However, the House voted in January to send the bill to “interim study” in 2026 rather than passing it into law.
What’s Next
Newmarket Democratic Rep. Ellen Read, who is running unopposed for reelection in the Nov. 3 general election, plans to introduce legislation in 2027 to support smaller lot sizes. Her efforts will build on previous legislative activity, including a 2025 law passed by the Legislature to restrain municipal zoning practices regarding accessory dwelling units and residential housing in commercial zones.
The political landscape for housing funding remains complex. Republican lawmakers declined to add new funding to the Housing Champions program in 2025 amid broader budget cuts. The program incentivizes towns to change zoning codes to allow more housing development through state grants. However, 65% of voters in the St. Anselm survey support including public investments in affordable housing in the state budget, suggesting potential voter pressure for future funding decisions.