Places › New Hampshire › Manchester

Living in Manchester, NH

Small city in New Hampshire

Manchester is a small city in New Hampshire, home to about 115,000 people, with 760,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Manchester a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 79°F
  • Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Low natural disaster risk: 10 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Easy flying: BOS is 48 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer family amenities than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Manchester ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
115,000
760,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
35°F / 79°F
Average daily highs · 53″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$466k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,440/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
106
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$66
State income tax per resident · 1.72% property tax
Safety
1.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
10 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
4
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
34%
2 research universities within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
BOS
48 mi away

Living in Manchester: common questions

What is the cost of living in Manchester?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $466k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,440 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 106, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Manchester?

New Hampshire collects about $66 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.72% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Manchester safe?

Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.6× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Manchester?

Manchester has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 35°F and summer days around 79°F, with roughly 53″ of snow a year.

Does Manchester get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.25 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Manchester?

The nearest major airport is BOS, about 48 mi away.

How Manchester scores

Each bar compares Manchester with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Long, snowy winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Moderate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Average
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Average
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Average
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Average
🛡️Safety Moderate crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Good

Places like Manchester

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Nearby

See all the best places to live in New Hampshire.

Is Manchester right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.