City profile
Manchester, NH cost of living
NH · BLS RPP 108
Overall RPP
108
US = 100
Housing RPP
132.5
Housing component
Goods RPP
101.6
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,771/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Manchester, NH sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#14 of 67
+8.0 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
+9.6
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#22 of 67
+165/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Manchester, NH
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Manchester, NH metro.
Moved in
18,963
people · 12,116 households
Moved out
18,905
people · 11,864 households
Net
+58
net gain of residents
Net migration rank
#31 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+162
median -104 people
Largest flow share
19% in / 14% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Middlesex County, MA 3,620
- Rockingham County, NH 2,648
- Merrimack County, NH 1,649
- Essex County, MA 1,237
- Worcester County, MA 457
Where residents moved to
- Rockingham County, NH 2,648
- Merrimack County, NH 2,297
- Middlesex County, MA 1,608
- Cheshire County, NH 591
- Essex County, MA 560
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Manchester, NH?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Manchester, NH | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $54,000 | $50,000 x (108/100) |
| $75,000 | $81,000 | $75,000 x (108/100) |
| $100,000 | $108,000 | $100,000 x (108/100) |
| $125,000 | $135,000 | $125,000 x (108/100) |
| $150,000 | $162,000 | $150,000 x (108/100) |
| $200,000 | $216,000 | $200,000 x (108/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
New Hampshire has no income tax on wages.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Manchester, NH?
- Manchester, NH has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 108 (US average = 100). It is 8.0% more expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Manchester, NH?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $108,000 in Manchester, NH to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Manchester, NH?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Manchester, NH is approximately $1,771 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Manchester, NH?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 18,963 people moved into the Manchester, NH metro and 18,905 moved out — a net gain of roughly 58 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Middlesex County, MA.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Manchester, NH, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Manchester, NH
Side-by-side cost of living and the equivalent salary you'd need — pick a destination.