The rich are getting richer—and calling the shots while they’re at it. So, what does it take to be “rich” in New Hampshire?

A new Visual Capitalist analysis says that about $302,500 a year will get you into the top 10% here. That’s a far cry from Washington, DC, where you’d need over $630,000—yes, DC far beats even California, where the threshold is $334,700.

Across the US, the study found a household needed roughly $210,000 in income or $1.8 million in net worth in 2024 to make the cut. Back in 2020, that number was just $170,000—so, yeah, inflation has been real.

About 12.2 million households qualify as “rich,” with Gen X leading at 57%, Boomers at 12%, and Millennials and Gen Z making up 31%.

Here’s how much you’d need to make in each New England state to be “rich”:

Massachusetts: $386,800

Rhode Island: $311,000

Connecticut: $344,400

New Hampshire: $302,500

Vermont: $294,600

Maine: $229,000

“Rich,” clearly, means very different things depending on your ZIP code.

Here’s what’s inside today’s newsletter:

📰 What we’re reading, news from around the state

💪 Meet three Granite State women who led the way

📢 Question of the week: How are you evaluating Trump?

📣 Your weekly guide to taking action in NH

📅 Top events for your calendar

👉 First up: A bill moving through the NH House would allow some pet owners to skip rabies booster shots if they submit antibody titer test results. State veterinarians are pushing back hard, warning the science doesn’t support using titers to determine immunity—and emphasizing that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. New Hampshire Bulletin

👉 Meanwhile, the New Hampshire Department of Safety has agreed to pay $200,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by former Fire Marshal’s Office investigator Danielle Cole. Cole alleged she was fired in 2021 after reporting harassment by her superior and claimed Commissioner Robert Quinn intervened to protect a longtime associate. The state continues to deny wrongdoing. InDepthNH

👉 And in Concord: Schools are reporting a sharp rise in student homelessness. District officials say 124 students are currently experiencing housing instability—up from the typical 80 to 100 in recent years — as rising costs, evictions and an influx of out-of-state families strain the city’s tight housing market. Most students are doubled up with relatives or friends; others are in shelters, hotels or living on their own. Officials warn the real number may be even higher. Concord Monitor

In a circa 1990 photo, Elizabeth Ann Virgil (1903-1991) sings in Portsmouth’s North Church choir. (USA Today Network)

By USA Today via Reuters Connect 

Forty women are going to be featured in an exhibit opening March 6 at the Portsmouth Athenaeum called “NH Women Trailblazers” in celebration of Women’s History Month.

Here’s a look at some of the women you’ll find: 

💪 Elizabeth Ann Virgil (1903–1991)

Why she’s a trailblazer: The first Black woman to graduate from the University of New Hampshire in 1926.

Career: Taught at schools across Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, and Virginia when barred from teaching in the North. She later worked at UNH’s Soil Conservation Service until 1973.

Legacy: A life-size portrait of her hangs in UNH Dimond Library.

💪 Irene “Renee” Levy (1932–2025)

Why she’s a trailblazer: Founder of State Street Discount in Portsmouth in 1955.

Career: Expanded a small gift store into a major local business, remembered for personal customer care and business acumen.

Legacy: Pioneering female entrepreneur in a male-dominated era; supported the New Hampshire Art Association. The original store location now houses the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery.

💪 Penny Pitou (b. 1938)

Why she’s a trailblazer: Olympic silver medalist skier (1960 Squaw Valley, downhill and giant slalom).

Career: She overcame gender barriers in high school ski teams. Pitou was inducted into the US National Ski Hall of Fame in 1976. She founded ski schools and Penny Pitou Travel, leading international ski and hiking tours until 2023.

Legacy: Recognized as one of the greatest female skiers in US history and a pioneer for women in sports.

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump ordered a strike on Iran that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nation’s supreme leader. Trump has often called himself a “president of peace” and, during his campaign, promised to end wars.

The military action comes as his overall approval rating is slipping. Multiple polls show it hovering around 40%, and most voters believe Trump is overstepping his authority.

What does this mean for the midterms?

Republican pollster Whit Ayres, speaking to Politico, said that presidential approval ratings have historically been strong indicators of midterm results:

“When it’s above 50 percent, the party loses seats but not that many. When the president’s job approval is below, the average loss of seats is 32, “Ayres told Politico. 

So, this week’s question is…

Which issue matters most to you in evaluating Trump:
military action, the Epstein files, immigration enforcement, or something else?

Here’s what you’re saying…

“My personal belief is that these events are all connected. When the focus becomes predominantly the Epstein files, something else happens, such as the strikes on Iran. After the Clintons testify, the SAVE Act fails, Republicans call for the release of the Epstein files, and the tariff debacle and several other issues unfold, Trump bombs Iran, reportedly killing over 100 schoolchildren, failing to notify Congress, and leaving many American citizens extremely vulnerable by not ensuring their safe return to the United States. This administration overwhelmingly represents a chaotic three-ring circus, and citizens are caught in the middle. If the Epstein files are finally released, as they are legally obligated to do, it is my belief that we will have answers that allow us to proceed in the proper direction, restoring civil liberties and justice.” — Maggie

“It looks to me like Trump is single-handedly trying to end life on Earth — attacking environmental laws, dismantling agencies, and abandoning international agreements; undermining institutions like USAID in ways that appear indifferent to the suffering of tens of thousands of people; withdrawing from the World Health Organization and weakening the NIH and CDC in ways that could make the US more vulnerable to future pandemics. He has attacked Venezuela and Iran without Congressional approval and engaged in lethal actions against their people — including civilians — while failing to follow the constitutional process for war powers.

Through lawless ICE actions, the administration has detained and deported many immigrants who have not been charged with or convicted of a crime, according to available data showing a significant share of those arrested have no criminal record beyond civil immigration violations. Documentation for legal status is costly and can take years to acquire. Instead of making that process easier, the administration seems focused on exclusionary immigration enforcement — policies that many critics characterize as rooted in nativist and racially biased motivations, indifferent to the harm caused to families and to businesses losing workers. I assume he’s a major character in the Epstein files, but since when has he faced accountability for his many alleged crimes — including sexual assault allegations from multiple individuals, inciting violence on Jan. 6, discriminatory housing practices in the 1970s, and repeated falsehoods throughout his life? He has escaped consequences for a long history of abuse, theft, lying, and cheating. Why should that record of evasion stop now? Reagan was known as the ‘Teflon president’; Trump is like PFAS — a forever chemical slowly harming all of us.” — A.M. Cummings

“The issue I have with Trump can be summed up in one word: character. He has none. That drives everything else.” — J. Green

By Lily Jackson

Wednesday, March 4

🕊️ No Nukes Advocacy Hour
Virtual, 12-1 p.m.
Join AFSC for a one-hour session on the end of the New START nuclear treaty. Get briefed and take action by contacting Congress using prepared talking points.
More info

✌️ Ceasefire Now! Vigil
Hanover, 4-5 p.m.
Vigil for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the West Bank on Ledyard Bridge between Hanover, NH, and Norwich, VT.
More info

Thursday, March 5

🗳️ Conversations with Councilors & Voter Registration
Merrimack, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Review and discuss what’s on the municipal ballot during Town Council office hours to make informed decisions this election season.
More info

💪 Analyzing Power Workshop

Hanover, 6-7 p.m.
Open Democracy NH kicks off a series for aspiring women advocates. Learn power analysis and mapping to identify who holds influence and how to shift it toward equity.
More info

🌍 Peterborough International Affairs Forum
Peterborough, 7 p.m.

Discuss critical American foreign affairs topics with an overview and group discussion.
More info

🕯️ Meeting for Worship with Attention to Peace
Virtual, 7:30 p.m.
Weekly virtual Quaker worship to reflect on injustice, strengthen solidarity, and explore the spiritual dimensions of activism.
More info

Friday, March 6

📣 Action Hour for Palestine
Virtual, 12 p.m.
AFSC provides updates on Gaza and guidance for contacting Congress about a permanent cease-fire, arms embargo on Israel, and humanitarian access.
More info

🌉 Nashua Bridge Brigade
Nashua, 2-4 p.m.
Southern NH Indivisible and NHBB occupy the bridge at exit 6 every Friday afternoon, weather permitting.
More info

Saturday, March 7

✉️ Capital Letters: Write to State Politicians
Dover, 1-3 p.m.
Spend an afternoon sipping beverages and writing letters to state representatives to make your voice heard. Creativity and civic action encouraged.
More info

Sunday, March 8

✊ Civil Rights Sunday
Portsmouth, 12-4 p.m.
Participate in Occupy Seacoast’s Civil Rights Sunday events.
More info

Have an event to add?

🧚 Fairy Forest Candlelight Strolls
Cape Neddick, Maine, March 4, 7
Explore the enchanted Fairy Forest at Center for Wildlife by candlelight. Build a fairy house, warm up by the fire and meet live animals. Family-friendly.
More info

 🌿 Community Indoor Plant Swap
North Hampton, March 6
Join fellow plant enthusiasts for a free plant swap featuring seedlings, clippings, and more. Only healthy, pest-free plants in pots 8 inches or smaller.
More info

✨ Parade of Lights
Pittsburgh, March 7
Annual Parade of Lights on Back Lake featuring hundreds of snowmobilers decorating sleds with colorful lights. Proceeds support the local fire department.
More info

🥕 2026 Rollinsford Farmers Market
Rollinsford, March 7
Shop local produce, meat, seafood, eggs, honey, baked goods, crafts, and body care products. Live music and food available. Free admission.
More info

🧀 New England Specialty Food & Craft Festival
Hampton, March 7–8
125 exhibitors of handmade products and specialty foods. Live music, food samples, trucks, cocktails, craft brews, and workshops.
More info

🏺 New England Colonial Trade Fair
Dover, March 7–8
Artisans and traders showcasing 17th–early 19th century crafts and products. Daily door prize.
More info

💒 Keene Wedding Show
Keene, March 8
Vendors offer photography, baked goods, décor, attire, and other wedding essentials. Cake samples, entertainment, and prizes available.
More info

🎸 TAZ Live
Portsmouth, March 8
Live performance by guitarist, vocalist, and actor TAZ, who has performed in major festivals and tours with Grammy winner Jon Batiste.
More info

💍 2026 Concord Women’s Day Expo
Concord, March 22
Browse vendors offering photography, baked goods, decor, attire, and more. Enjoy cake samples, entertainment, and enter to win prizes.
More info

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Katy Savage with stories from Lily Jackson and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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