STRAFFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY NEEDS

EMPLOYMENT

Source: New Hampshire Employment Security, Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau

Estimated NH Livable Hourly Wage by Household Type, 2005

Depending on family type, the livable wage necessary to meet basic needs is between 2 and 4 times the New Hampshire minimum wage of $5.15.

Depending on family type, the basic needs budget in New Hampshire is between 2 and 2.5 times the federal poverty level.

In 2005, the median hourly wage in New Hampshire was $14.66 per hour. This is more than the livable wage estimate for some family types (e.g., two working parents with one or two children) but less than others (e.g., single working parent with one or two children).

Expenses for basic needs can vary greatly depending on:

• the need for child care

For a family with two children and two parents, only one of which works outside the home, the annual livable wage is estimated at $36,857. If both parents work outside the home (so that child care is required), the figure jumps to $48,625. For these families, child care consumes 23% of the total budget.

• the availability of employer-sponsored heaktg insurance

For families that do not have access to health insurance through their work and must buy individual or family health insurance, estimates of the livable wage increase between $2.75 and $5.50 per hour, which equates to an annual wage increase of between $5,700 and $11,400.

The costs of basic needs are increasing in New Hampshire:

• Child care costs have increased by 88 percent over the last five years.

• Health insurance costs have increased 103 percent over the last seven years.

• Costs of rent and utilities have increased by 35 percent over the last six years.

• The average costs of child care and health insurance in New Hampshire have increased faster than New Hampshire's median family income.

• The average costs of child care, health insurance, rent and utilities and telephone in New Hampshire have increased at a greater rate than the national consumer price index.

Source: Basic Needs & Livable Wage, UNH Office of Economic Initiatives and North Country Council, Inc., 2006

In Brief, Employment Projections by Industry and Occupation
base year 2004 to projected year 2014
Strafford County
New Hampshire Employment Security, Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, 2006

Employment in Strafford County is projected to grow by 15.6 percent, slightly less than the state average. Leading industry sectors include Educational services, primarily at the University of New Hampshire.

Manufacturing employment in Strafford County is projected to be relatively steady, with only a slight decline. In specific industries, significant declines are expected in Textile mills and Plastics and rubber manufacturing. Losses may be offset by gains in Chemical manufacturing and Machinery manufacturing.

As with many other counties, and the state as a whole, the fastest growing occupation in Strafford County is Home health aides. Other fast growing occupations in the county include Computer software engineers, applications; Bill and account collectors, Special education teachers (preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school); and Preschool teachers, except special education.

Another way of looking at job growth is to consider the number of openings from growth and from replacement needs:

Educational services has higher base year employment than Retail trade, one of only two other counties (Grafton being the other) to share this distinction because of the large educational institutions present there.

Several occupations in Strafford County are projected to decline in employment:

• Secretaries, except legal, medical, and executive
• Metal and plastic workers, all other
• Cutting, punching, and press machine operators and tenders

Strafford County tied among counties for third highest percent of employment in Wholesale trade and Transportation and public utilities.

Only Sullivan County had a lower share of employment in Services.

Among all the counties, Strafford had the smallest portion of employment in Finance, insurance, and real estate.

The over-the-year employment growth rate in Strafford County was less than half the rate for the state.

Strafford lost three and a half times more jobs in Retail trade than any other county in 2000.

Strafford lost four times as many Manufacturing jobs as any other county in the state.

Strafford was second only to Sullivan County as the slowest growing county in the state between 1997 and 2000.

Strafford County's employment growth rate in Manufacturing declined faster than any other county from 1997 to 2000.

The third highest total industry average weekly wage was found in Strafford County in 2000, over $35 shy of matching the state average.

Manufacturing's average weekly wage was third highest among the counties in 2000, $120 behind Manufacturing wages in Hillsborough and nearly $230 behind Rockingham.

Source: New Hampshire Employment Security, Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau
2000 County Profile