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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Retirement planning isn't just about lowest rent — it's about protecting a fixed income from healthcare costs and state taxes. That's more or less in line with the region. We scored 1 cities in New Hampshire on what hits retirees hardest: cost of living, healthcare, and tax burden. Manchester leads …
Retirement planning isn't just about lowest rent — it's about protecting a fixed income from healthcare costs and state taxes. That's more or less in line with the region. We scored 1 cities in New Hampshire on what hits retirees hardest: cost of living, healthcare, and tax burden. Manchester leads with index 115 — we had to double-check this one — , no state income tax, and a healthcare index of 103.
So, Manchester. Cost index of 115 — whether that matters depends on your situation — , rent at $1,976/month. It's higher than the national average. Median income is $77,415, which is below the national median. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
Retirement affordability is about protecting fixed income. Our model weights healthcare costs at 25 points (medical bills are the #1 financial risk in retirement), cost index at 25 points, and state tax burden at 15 points (taxes directly reduce pension and Social Security income). Manchester leads with low healthcare costs, no state income tax, and a cost index of 115.
What makes this tricky: The 1 cities we track in New Hampshire paint a surprisingly balanced picture. Average cost index: 115. Median rent: $1,976/month. Household income: $77,415. New Hampshire is known for no income tax in a traditionally expensive region — and the data backs that reputation with some caveats.
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.
#1 Ranked: Manchester — cost index 115, rent $1,976/mo, income $77,415
Retiree-weighted scoring: healthcare index 103, no state income tax, cost index 115 — protecting fixed retirement income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
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. 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. In the context of rising national rents, this stability is worth noting.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 115 | $1,976 | Details |
Manchester ranks #1 in New Hampshire for this analysis with a cost index of 115 and median income of $77,415.
Manchester scores highest for retirees due to its strong income potential, median rent of $1,976/mo, and competitive 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.