Public health in New Hampshire works differently from most states. The state has no county health departments. Responsibility is split between the Department of Health and Human Services in Concord and the more than 200 cities and towns that each appoint a local health officer. A few larger cities run full departments with staff and clinics, while many small towns rely on one official with limited hours. This page explains how the pieces fit together, so you can reach the right office the first time.

How Local Health Authority Works in New Hampshire

State law gives every municipality its own health officer. The main statutes are RSA 128, which covers public health, and RSA 147, which covers nuisances and sanitation. The select board or city governing body appoints the health officer, and the state health agency reviews that appointment. Once in office, the health officer can investigate complaints, inspect buildings and land, and order owners to fix conditions that threaten public health. In a small town this may be one person with a few hours a week. In a city, it may be an entire department.

Because authority sits at the municipal level, your street address decides which office handles your problem, not your county. Counties still help when you search, because they group nearby towns. The Hillsborough County listings include Manchester and both Nashua offices, while Merrimack County includes Concord and the state's public health headquarters. Rockingham County, in the southeast, is represented by Derry. Each office answers for its own municipality, although some neighboring towns share services by agreement.

The State Role at 29 Hazen Drive in Concord

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services houses its Division of Public Health Services in Concord. Our directory lists the State of New Hampshire Department of Public Health at 29 Hazen Drive, phone 603-271-4496. The database also lists the Concord Health Department at the same address, phone 603-271-4661, so check which number fits your question before you call.

The state does not replace your town health officer. It supports the system and handles work that no single town could manage alone. Typical state functions include:

Water and septic matters are split with another agency. The Department of Environmental Services regulates public drinking water systems and septic design, and it offers guidance on private wells. If your concern is a well, a failing septic system, or a spill, start there instead of with a health department.

City Health Departments in Manchester, Nashua and Concord

Manchester, Nashua, and Concord are the state's three largest cities, and their offices see a wider mix of work than a small town does. The Manchester Health Department sits at 1528 Elm Street and can be reached at 603-624-6466. Offices in larger cities commonly handle restaurant and housing complaints, immunization clinics, school health programs, and emergency planning. Ask each office what it currently offers, because programs and hours change from year to year.

Nashua appears twice in our database. The Nashua Community Health Department is listed at 18 Mulberry Street, and the Nashua Health Department is listed at 229 Main Street. Both show the phone number 603-589-4500. A shared number points to a single main line, so call before you visit and confirm which address handles your request.

Concord is the capital, and its listing shares the Hazen Drive address with the state agency. That proximity is convenient for residents with questions about state programs, but city and state staff do different jobs. Use the city number, 603-271-4661, for local concerns such as a neighborhood sanitation problem, and the state number, 603-271-4496, for statewide programs.

Smaller Offices in Keene, Derry, Claremont, Littleton and North Stratford

Outside the three big cities, health offices are smaller and sometimes tied to a single town building. The pattern matters, because you may need to leave a message and wait for a callback.

Keene. The Keene Health Department is at 3 Washington Street, phone 603-352-5440. It serves the main city of the Monadnock region, and its listing falls under Cheshire County.

Derry. The Derry Town Health Department is at 40 Fordway Extension, phone 603-432-6148. The word "Town" in the name signals that it works under town government. Derry sits in southern Rockingham County, in the commuter belt toward the Massachusetts line.

Claremont. The Claremont Health Department is at 14 North Street, phone 603-542-7034. Claremont lies on the Connecticut River, and its listing belongs to Sullivan County.

Littleton. The Littleton Health Department is at 134 Main Street, phone 603-444-5663. It is the main listing in Grafton County and a convenient contact for the northern part of the county near the White Mountains.

North Stratford. The North Stratford Health Officer is at 10 Town Common Road, phone 603-922-5533. This listing names a person's role rather than a department. It is the only listing in Coos County, in the far north, where distances are long and phone contact usually comes first.

What to Prepare Before You Contact a New Hampshire Health Office

A little preparation helps a health officer act quickly. Whether you call a city department or a town official, gather these items first:

Most offices work standard weekday business hours and prefer that you call before dropping in. Small-town officers may not staff a counter at all. If you reach voicemail, state your address and the problem in the first thirty seconds, and leave a number. Follow up in writing if you do not hear back within a few business days.

For an immediate danger, such as a gas smell, a sewage backup flooding a living area, or a serious injury, call 911 first. Health officers handle conditions that can be inspected and corrected over days. They are not an emergency service.

If a local office cannot help, ask who can. The state Division of Public Health Services in Concord can point you to the right agency, and the town clerk or select board can tell you who currently holds the health officer appointment.

The health department network in New Hampshire consists of the state health agency and a system of county and city health departments that together deliver public health programs, disease surveillance, and preventive services to residents statewide.

Health Departments locations are available in 8 cities across New Hampshire. They are spread across 7 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Nashua, Concord, Manchester, which operate full-service health departments providing comprehensive clinical and environmental health services to large urban populations.

Residents of New Hampshire can access their local health department for vaccinations, vital records, food inspection reports, and communicable disease information. Many services are available by appointment, and some are walk-in friendly.

Health Departments by Counties

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Residents of New Hampshire can order certified birth and death certificates, check restaurant inspection scores, and access free or low-cost vaccination services through their local health department. Most departments offer online appointment scheduling for clinical services.

Browse Health Departments by county across New Hampshire to find the nearest location.

Seasonal and Regional Health Concerns in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's geography shapes what local health offices spend their time on. In the southern tier, including Derry and Nashua, dense housing and commuter traffic toward Massachusetts bring a steady load of restaurant, rental, and clinic questions. Around Keene, Claremont, and the northern towns such as Littleton and North Stratford, offices cover wide, wooded areas where private wells and septic systems are common.

Ticks are a seasonal concern across the state, and Lyme disease is common in New Hampshire. From spring through fall, check yourself after time outdoors and talk to a clinician if symptoms appear. Rabies exposure from bats and other wildlife also draws calls to health officers and the state. In winter, the main complaints involve heat in rental units, carbon monoxide from heating equipment, and frozen or failed plumbing. Summer brings cyanobacteria advisories on lakes, which the state environmental agency tracks.

Keep the number for your own town's office and the state office at 603-271-4496 handy before you need them.

Health Department Questions Answered for New Hampshire

No. New Hampshire counties run services such as corrections, nursing homes, and registries of deeds, but public health authority belongs to cities and towns. Each municipality appoints a health officer, and the state Division of Public Health Services in Concord supports them with epidemiology, laboratory testing, and guidance. County names in this directory, such as Merrimack County or Coos County, simply group nearby offices to make searching easier. If you live in a small town without a staffed department, contact the town office or select board and ask for the current health officer's name and phone number.

Start by writing to your landlord and keeping a copy. If nothing changes, contact your local health officer or city health department, such as the Manchester Health Department at 603-624-6466 or the Keene Health Department at 603-352-5440. Health officers can inspect, document violations, and order repairs under state housing and sanitation law. Bring photos, dates, and your lease. For a heat outage in winter, call quickly, since cold weather makes delays dangerous. If you feel unsafe right away, call 911. Disputes over rent or eviction belong in court, not with the health office.

Usually not. Homeowners are generally responsible for testing their own private wells, and a local health officer typically does not do it for you. Arsenic and radon occur naturally in parts of the state's bedrock, so many households test on their own. Use an accredited laboratory, and ask the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services which tests make sense for your area. Test again after flooding or any change in taste, color, or smell. Your health officer can help you understand results that affect rental housing or a child's health.

Generally no. In New Hampshire, the city or town clerk where the birth or death occurred can issue certified copies, and the state also keeps vital records centrally. Eligibility rules limit who can request a certified copy, usually the person named, close family, or a legal representative. Bring photo identification and know the full name, date, and place of the event. Fees vary, so ask the clerk before you go. If you are in Concord, Nashua, or Littleton, check the city or town clerk's office rather than the health department.

Call the local health officer or city health department first, with the business name, address, date, and what you saw or ate. If you became ill, see a doctor and mention the possible food source. Food safety oversight involves both the state Division of Public Health Services, which sets standards and licenses many establishments, and some local departments. Larger offices such as Nashua or Manchester may follow up directly. The state office listed in our directory at 603-271-4496 can direct you if your local office cannot take the complaint.

Rural towns in Coos County and Grafton County often have a health officer with limited hours, so you may reach voicemail. Leave your name, address, and a clear description of the problem. Call the town office during business hours and ask for the health officer's current contact, since appointments change. The North Stratford Health Officer is listed at 603-922-5533, and the Littleton Health Department at 603-444-5663. If you cannot reach anyone, or the issue involves an infectious disease, the state Division of Public Health Services in Concord can advise you. Distances are long up north, so phone first.

Our database shows the Nashua Community Health Department at 18 Mulberry Street and the Nashua Health Department at 229 Main Street, both listing 603-589-4500. They most likely reflect two addresses or program locations tied to the same city public health function. Call before you travel and ask which building handles your request, such as an immunization clinic, a housing complaint, or a records question. Ask about hours and whether appointments are required. Cities adjust where services are located over time, and a quick call can save you a wasted trip downtown.