The median price for a single-family home in New Hampshire soared to $535,000 in 2025, a staggering 78% increase from 2019, as remote workers sought refuge from major cities, according to Business NH Magazine. The rapid escalation in housing costs has transformed communities across the state, making homeownership increasingly difficult for long-term residents and those with local wages. The influx of buyers, often with higher earning potential from urban markets, has overwhelmed the existing housing stock.
Remote work promised greater flexibility and access to affordable living, but it has paradoxically driven up housing costs and exacerbated supply shortages in previously attainable regions. What was once seen as a solution for urban dwellers seeking more space and lower expenses has inadvertently exported the housing crisis to new areas. This tension between perceived affordability and actual market impact defines the current real estate environment.
Without significant policy interventions to boost housing supply in newly popular areas, the affordability crisis for non-remote workers and first-time buyers is likely to intensify, further widening the wealth gap. The sustained shift in work patterns necessitates a reevaluation of housing strategies to prevent further displacement and ensure equitable access to homeownership.
The Great Remote Migration
- 30% — The share of days worked from home in the US stabilized at nearly 30% in 2023 and 2024, a significant rise from 5% pre-pandemic and 60% in summer 2020, according to pmc.
- 30% to 50% — Office occupancy rates and foot traffic in major US cities remain 30% to 50% below pre-pandemic levels, according to pmc.
- Tens of Thousands — Remote workers departed major urban centers like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco by the tens of thousands, according to newrez.
The figures confirm a significant and sustained shift in work patterns, directly correlating with a measurable decline in traditional urban activity and a mass relocation of the workforce. The exodus from densely populated urban cores signals a fundamental change in where people choose to live and work, impacting housing markets far beyond city limits.
