Cost of living in New Hampshire
Prices in New Hampshire are 4.2% above the US average (9th highest of 51). New Hampshire has no income tax on wages. State sales tax: 0%.
Price levels in New Hampshire
| BEA RPP 2024 | New Hampshire | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 104.2 | +4.2% |
| Goods | 98.6 | −1.4% |
| Housing (rents) | 114.9 | +14.9% |
| Utilities | 133.7 | +33.7% |
| Other services | 103.9 | +3.9% |
Metros in New Hampshire
Metros whose principal city is in New Hampshire. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester, NH | 433,415 | 105.7 | $2,168 | $300 | $931 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Also partly in New Hampshire: Boston, MA-NH.
Taxes in New Hampshire (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| New Hampshire income tax | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| New Hampshire payroll taxes | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,530 | $5,133 | $7,771 | $8,765 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro).
Childcare prices across New Hampshire
| Age band | Center, median county / wk (2022) | Center / yr today* | Home-based / wk (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $286 | $18,206 | $197 |
| Toddler (2) | $272 | $17,261 | $184 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $238 | $15,134 | $184 |
| School-age (5–12) | $213 | $13,544 | — |
Center-based infant care ranges from $269 a week in Coos County to $308 in Rockingham County (2022 prices).
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022; median across 10 counties with 2022 data. *52 weeks × 1.2224 BLS CPI for day care and preschool, 2022 average to 2026-08. Look up a county.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strafford County | $362,800 | $6,708 | 1.85% |
| Hillsborough County | $421,100 | $6,999 | 1.66% |
| Rockingham County | $497,500 | $7,839 | 1.58% |
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from New Hampshire
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 46,226 in, 39,383 out (net +6,843).
- Massachusetts20,310 ±3,696
- Florida3,590 ±1,569
- Maine3,115 ±965
- New York2,115 ±876
- Texas1,913 ±1,617
- California1,710 ±1,143
- Vermont1,592 ±780
- Colorado1,448 ±1,224
- Massachusetts11,286 ±2,887
- Maine4,373 ±1,699
- New York3,689 ±1,175
- Connecticut3,295 ±1,250
- Vermont1,769 ±662
- Florida1,730 ±909
- Pennsylvania1,518 ±923
- South Carolina1,478 ±1,175
Frequently asked questions
Is New Hampshire expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put New Hampshire’s overall price level at 104.2 in 2024 (US = 100), the 9th highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 114.9 and goods 98.6.
Does New Hampshire have a state income tax?+
No — New Hampshire does not tax wages.
What is the sales tax in New Hampshire?+
The state rate is 0% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are exempt from the state rate. Local sales taxes can add to this.