Manchester, NH Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Manchester, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Manchester →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Manchester, New Hampshire has a population of about 115,037. Typical household income is $74,040 per year, roughly in line with the median across the cities in our dataset (+3%).
Manchester's housing market shows a median home value of $304,700, roughly in line with the multi-city benchmark (-7%), alongside median rent of $1,362 per month. Both figures matter for anyone weighing a move here.
Home values run about 4.1× median income in Manchester, putting it squarely in the balanced range among the cities we cover. Prices in the area have gained 4.77% year over year, a moderate pace that suggests a stable market around Manchester. Manchester carries a Relatively Moderate hazard rating from FEMA, on the lower end of what we track.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,362/mo in Manchester would take 22.1% of your income.
$489/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($304,700) would take 26.4% of your income toward principal & interest.
$101/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Manchester
Median home value is $304,700 and median gross rent is $1,362/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Hillsborough rose 4.77% over the past year (as of 2025).
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Manchester's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Manchester reported a violent crime rate of 321.6 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Manchester
Planning a move to Manchester? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Manchester, NH?
- For a quick read on Manchester: homes carry a median value of $304,700, rent runs a median $1,362 monthly, and household income is a median $74,040, all from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Manchester?
- Manchester's median rent of $1,362/month works out to roughly $54,480 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Manchester.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Manchester?
- Manchester's median rent of $1,362/month translates to about $54,480 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $69,714 a year for principal and interest on the $304,700 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Manchester safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, Manchester's violent crime rate was 321.6 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for Manchester →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Manchester's.