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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 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving New Hampshire.
#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 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving 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.
There's more to the story, though. New Hampshire — no income tax in a traditionally expensive region. The 1 cities we track here average a cost index of 115 and median income of $77,415. It lands right near the national baseline, which makes the differences between individual cities all the more important. The typical rent runs $1,976/month, which is $81 more than the national median.
Bottom line: Manchester leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 115 | $1,976 | Details |
115,474 residents · New Hampshire
Here's Manchester by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 115. Rent: $1,976/month — a detail that tends to get overlooked — . Income: $77,415/year. Home price: $427,321. Population: 115,474. The strongest category is Healthcare at 103; the most expensive is Housing at 115. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $972 more per year vs. the national median. The delta here is big enough to fund a retirement account.
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.