Is New Hampshire or Virginia a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, New Hampshire ranks higher overall. New Hampshire is #1 and Virginia is #9 out of 50 states. New Hampshire wins 8 of 11 categories, while Virginia wins 3.

How does New Hampshire compare to Virginia in cost of living?

New Hampshire has a cost of living index of 105, while Virginia's is 101 (100 = national average). Virginia is more affordable.

Which state is safer, New Hampshire or Virginia?

New Hampshire has 110 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 201 in Virginia. New Hampshire has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in New Hampshire vs Virginia?

New Hampshire's median household income is $97,880, compared to $87,106 in Virginia.

New Hampshire vs Virginia: Side-by-Side (2026)

A+

New Hampshire

#1·Northeast

87.8Composite Score

VSNew Hampshire leads

Virginia

#9·South

74.9Composite Score

8NH wins

3VA wins

Category Overlay

New HampshireVirginia

Category Scores

💰 EconomyNH +12.3

84.5

72.2

🛡️ SafetyNH +15.0

93.5

78.5

🏥 HealthNH +22.4

100.0

77.6

🎓 EducationNH +10.2

91.8

81.6

💼 Fiscal HealthNH +0.3

63.1

62.8

📈 GrowthNH +2.5

52.9

50.4

🏠 AffordabilityVA +13.1

44.3

57.4

🌿 EnvironmentVA +2.8

45.2

48.0

🏞️ Outdoor AccessNH +22.9

43.0

20.1

🚇 TransportationVA +7.0

45.1

52.1

🎭 LivabilityNH +24.8

56.2

31.4

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	New Hampshire	Virginia	Winner
Population	1,402,054	8,642,274	VA
Median Income	$97,880	$87,106	NH
Unemployment	2.8%	2.9%	NH
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	110	201	NH
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	105	101	VA
HS Graduation Rate	88%	89%	VA
Life Expectancy	79.2 yr	78.4 yr	NH
Pop Growth	+0.6%	+0.8%	VA

New Hampshire vs Virginia: How Do They Compare?

New Hampshire ranks #1 overall with a composite score of 87.8, earning a A+ grade. Virginia sits at #9 with 74.9 and a A grade. New Hampshire has the edge overall, winning 8 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, New Hampshire has 2.8% unemployment and a $97,880 median income, while Virginia reports 2.9% unemployment and $87,106 median income.

For safety, New Hampshire's violent crime rate is 110 per 100K compared to 201 in Virginia. Cost of living favors Virginia with an index of 101 vs 105.

Explore These States

New Hampshire Full Profile87.8 Virginia Full Profile74.9 Compare Other States→

Data Sources

📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023 📎America's Health Rankings, 2025 📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024 📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025 📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025 📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025 📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024 📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025 📎National Park Service API, 2024 📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024 📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023 📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023 📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24 📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22 📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23 📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023 📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023 📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022 📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023 📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022 📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025 📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration 2022-2023