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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in New Hampshire — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Manchester (index 115, rent $1,976/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 1 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (that's pre-tax, of course).
#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
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 115 | $1,976 | Details |
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in New Hampshire — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Manchester (index 115, rent $1,976/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 1 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (that's pre-tax, of course).
What does daily life actually cost in Manchester? Start with the 31% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Healthcare (index 103) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 115) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $77,415 and homes at $427,321 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
Zooming out, Across New Hampshire, the average cost of living index is 115 — 4 points above the national median. Known for no income tax in a traditionally expensive region, the state offers 1 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,976/month — this is the part where it gets real — . That's $81 more than the national average of $1,895. That's a meaningful edge in practice.
The short version: Manchester stands out — but so do several runners-up that might fit your lifestyle better. Treat this ranking as the starting line, not the finish. Every city links to a full profile. Every profile has salary data by profession. And the calculator lets you model your own numbers. That's how rankings become decisions.
115,474 residents · New Hampshire
What does daily life actually cost in Manchester? Start with the 31% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. Fairly typical for a city this size. On the category level, Healthcare (index 103) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 115) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $77,415 and homes at $427,321 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Manchester | 0% | 0% | 1.57% | $59,408 |
We divide median home price by median household income for each city in New Hampshire. A ratio of 3× means a home costs 3 years of gross income — generally considered affordable. Ratios above 5× signal a stretched market. 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.