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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while New Hampshire trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Manchester at index 115 — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving N…
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 115 | $1,976 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Manchester — cost index 115, rent $1,976/mo, income $77,415
0 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Premium market, smart picks: while New Hampshire trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Manchester at index 115 — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving New Hampshire.
Manchester is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,976/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 115. Income sits at $77,415. That tracks.
Look, What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
115,474 residents · New Hampshire
Manchester earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 115 cost index sits 4 points above the national baseline, and the $77,415 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $427,321 — $40,049 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 103, while Housing trails at 115.
We rank cities by their home-price-to-income ratio (median home price ÷ median household income). A lower ratio means homes are more attainable relative to local earnings. The standard benchmark is 3-5×; above 5× is considered stretched. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Manchester ranks #1 in New Hampshire for this analysis with a cost index of 115 and median income of $77,415.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Manchester is $1,976/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $81 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Manchester is $427,321, which is 5.5× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
New Hampshire has a 0% state income tax rate — one of the states with no income tax. Combined state and local sales tax averages 0%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.57%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.