Best places to live in New Hampshire (2026)

All 5 ranked places in New Hampshire, by all-round score.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1Nashua, NHSuburb · 3-bed $519k · very safe66
2. 2Portsmouth, NHSmall city · 3-bed $910k · very safe66
3. 3Manchester, NHSmall city · 3-bed $466k · moderate crime58
4. 4Hanover, NHCollege town · 3-bed $964k · very safe58
5. 5Concord, NHSmall city · 3-bed $472k · very safe55

Cheapest places to live in New Hampshire

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Manchester, NHSmall city · rent $2,440/mo · cost of living 106$466k
2. 2Concord, NHSmall city · rent $2,600/mo · cost of living 106$472k
3. 3Nashua, NHSuburb · rent $2,820/mo · cost of living 106$519k
4. 4Portsmouth, NHSmall city · rent $2,690/mo · cost of living 106$910k
5. 5Hanover, NHCollege town · rent $2,590/mo · cost of living 104$964k

Safest places to live in New Hampshire

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Hanover, NHCollege town · violent crime 0.2× the US rate61 per 100k
2. 2Portsmouth, NHSmall city · violent crime 0.3× the US rate128 per 100k
3. 3Nashua, NHSuburb · violent crime 0.4× the US rate144 per 100k
4. 4Concord, NHSmall city · violent crime 0.4× the US rate149 per 100k
5. 5Manchester, NHSmall city · violent crime 1.6× the US rate601 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in New Hampshire

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Manchester, NH10 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, hurricanes80
2. 2Concord, NH10 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding79
3. 3Nashua, NH10 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, hurricanes79
4. 4Portsmouth, NH15 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes76
5. 5Hanover, NH19 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding67

Best places to live for families in New Hampshire

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Nashua, NHSuburb · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $519k64
2. 2Hanover, NHCollege town · kids below average · safety excellent · 3-bed $964k56
3. 3Portsmouth, NHSmall city · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $910k55
4. 4Concord, NHSmall city · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $472k53
5. 5Manchester, NHSmall city · kids below average · safety average · 3-bed $466k44

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.