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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.
115,474 residents · New Hampshire
A closer look at Manchester: the cost index of 115 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — breaks down to a Healthcare index of 103 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 115 (weakest). Median rent is $1,976/month — 4% above the national median — while household income sits at $77,415, meaning locals spend about 31% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
#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 |
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.
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.
The same data, viewed through a different lens: 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.
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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Manchester | 0% | 0% | 1.57% | $59,408 |
Total tax burden = state income tax rate + combined sales tax rate + effective property tax rate. We rank cities from lowest combined burden to highest. Keep in mind property tax and sales tax are local-level, so two cities in the same state can differ meaningfully. 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.