2026 editionNortheastPop. 1,415,342Capital Concord9th state, admitted 1788Cook PVI D+5
Is New Hampshire a Good Place to Live? New Hampshire Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
New Hampshire ranks #1 of 50 with a composite score of 83.4 and an A+ grade, strongest in economy (#2) and weakest in affordability (#40). The median household earns $99,782 (23% above the national median), homes typically cost $516,306 (40% above the national average), and violent crime is 118 per 100,000 (64% below the national average).
Two-earner families with Boston-scale salaries and no wish to pay Boston-scale taxes have the strongest case for New Hampshire: median income is $99,782, 23% above the national median, and none goes to a state income tax. The mover must weigh the property tax that replaces it, an effective 1.89% on a home that already costs 40% above the national average.
New Hampshire by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with New Hampshire's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the New Hampshire overview
New Hampshire scores above the national average in 9 of 11 categories and ranks #1 of 11 states in the Northeast, behind no other state in the region. Its biggest edge over the country is violent crime rate (118, 64% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is typical home value ($516,306, 40% above the national average). With 4 top-10 finishes and no bottom-10 category, its weaknesses are relative, not absolute.
Where does New Hampshire rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. New Hampshire is top 10 in 4 and bottom 10 in 0.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 74.0 | #2 of 50 | A+ | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 3.2% and median household income is $99,782. |
| Safety | 94.3 | #2 of 50 | A+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 117.6 violent crimes and 818.1 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 73.9 | #11 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 78.7 years, 31.1% of adults have obesity, and 4.5% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 77.5 | #2 of 50 | A+ | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 280 in NAEP math and 264 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 87.7%. |
| Affordability | 48.9 | #40 of 50 | C | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $516,306 (5.2x median income); cost of living index 104.2 (100 = US); center-based infant care $16,462 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 63.1 | #19 of 50 | B | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $3,210 of debt per resident, has 65% of pensions funded, and holds a AA+ credit rating. |
| Growth | 49.9 | #12 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.48% last year; Census net domestic migration is +4.6 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 46.1 | #33 of 50 | C+ | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 27.5 minutes, 0.6% of workers use public transit, and 16% work from home. |
| Livability | 50.1 | #4 of 50 | A+ | 7% | 34.3 | It has 2.112 restaurants and 0.031 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.02 bars and 0.124 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 43.0 | #11 of 50 | B+ | 6% | 29.4 | 13.5% of its land is public, with 4.99 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 45.2 | #21 of 50 | B | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 37, 14% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 15.6. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
New Hampshire's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; New Hampshire bulges toward economy and dips at affordability.
How expensive is New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's cost of living index is 104.2 against a national baseline of 100, 4% above the national average and #43 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $516,306 (40% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $127,122, $27,340 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Concord is cheapest (index 100.5) and Exeter priciest (108.3).
Housing market snapshot · August
Warm marketRanked #9 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #32 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $27,340 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full New Hampshire housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | New Hampshire | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$30,212 | −$11,758 | #38 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$24,216 | +$31,418 | #41 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$26,342 | +$35,970 | #43 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has no state income tax; instead it leans on high property tax, low sales tax. The total state and local tax burden comes to 5.94% of income, 2.8 points below the national average (#3 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 1.89% of home value (#48), and combined sales tax averages 0% (#1).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 63.1 out of 100, #19 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is New Hampshire safe?
New Hampshire reports 118 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 64% below the national average and #3 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 818 per 100,000, 47% below the national average (#2 of 50). The safety score is 94.3 out of 100, #2 of 50; among tracked cities, Hanover has the lowest violent crime rate.
New Hampshire vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in New Hampshire
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanover | 8,479 | 17 | 454 |
| Dover | 33,364 | 64 | 574 |
| Durham | 10,681 | 92 | 204 |
| Rochester | 33,144 | 106 | 1,235 |
| Nashua | 91,294 | 110 | 1,030 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 New Hampshire cities we track. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's unemployment rate is 3.2%, 0.8 points below the national average and #7 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $99,782, 23% above the national median. Real GDP grew +2.3% in the latest year (#16 of 50) and GDP per capita is $68,816, 7% above the national average. The population is growing 0.48% a year, in line with the national average. The economy score is 74 out of 100, #2 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in New Hampshire, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $212,609 | $223,239 | Manchester-Nashua |
| Lawyers | $139,498 | $146,473 | Manchester-Nashua |
| Software Developers | $130,790 | $137,330 | Manchester-Nashua |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $99,507 | $104,482 | Manchester-Nashua |
| General & Operations Managers | $95,385 | $100,154 | Manchester-Nashua |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are New Hampshire's schools and healthcare?
New Hampshire's education score is 77.5 out of 100, #2 of 50. Eighth graders average 280 in NAEP math (#9 of 50) and 264 in reading (#4 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 87.7%, 2.1 points above the national average (#17 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | 98% | 11.8 | $22,976 |
| Hanover | 97% | 10.2 | $26,737 |
| Portsmouth | 96% | 11 | $25,059 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
New Hampshire is #11 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 78.7 years, 1.8 years above the national average. 31.1% of adults have obesity (#11 of 50) and 4.5% of residents have no health insurance (#4 of 50). The health score is 73.9 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to New Hampshire, and who is leaving?
New Hampshire gained a net 2,168 households from other states in the latest IRS release: 26,576 moved in and 24,408 moved out, +1.5 per 1,000 residents (#15 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $109,318 against $88,043 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +6.8K people (46.2K in, 39.4K out, ±7.3K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1Massachusetts10,603 · $134,698
- 2Maine1,972 · $65,675
- 3Florida1,842 · $81,992
- 4New York1,464 · $107,564
- 5Vermont1,353 · $64,570
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1Massachusetts6,594 · $84,561
- 2Florida2,696 · $155,174
- 3Maine2,595 · $74,021
- 4Vermont1,243 · $62,938
- 5New York1,238 · $78,013
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in New Hampshire?
By composite score, the best of the 20 New Hampshire cities we track are Hanover (80.8), Lebanon (72.2), and Durham (71.2). Concord is the cheapest (cost index 100.5), Hanover the richest ($153,281), and Dover the fastest growing (+2.1% a year). City ranks are among the 20 New Hampshire cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in New Hampshire
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Hanover | 17 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Concord | cost of living index 100.5 |
| Most walkable | Hanover | walkability 14.1 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Laconia | median AQI 32 (county) |
| Best schools | Durham | 98% graduation rate |
| Richest | Hanover | $153,281 |
Among the 20 New Hampshire cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of New Hampshire
The state's job base and its most urban stretch, the only stretch where crime rates diverge from near zero, plus the state capital, and the easiest commute to Boston.
Portsmouth, the shipyard, the university in Durham and a short coastline. The most expensive housing outside Hanover, the strongest schools, and summer traffic on the coast road.
Winnipesaukee's second-home belt. Prices are set by summer buyers from Massachusetts, year-round rentals are scarce, and the off-season is quiet enough to surprise newcomers.
Hanover and Lebanon run on Dartmouth and its hospital, with Vermont across the river. Keene and Claremont are cheaper college and mill towns with older housing.
Berlin and the towns above the White Mountains: the lowest home prices in the state, a shrinking population, ski and hiking traffic, and a long drive to anything.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanover | A+ | 80.8 | 8,479 | $153,281 | 17 | 100.5 |
| 2 | Lebanon | A+ | 72.2 | 14,999 | $98,147 | 134 | 100.5 |
| 3 | Durham | A+ | 71.2 | 10,681 | $112,070 | 92 | 108.3 |
| 4 | Portsmouth | A+ | 68.9 | 22,545 | $106,219 | 203 | 108.3 |
| 5 | Dover | A+ | 67.6 | 33,364 | $94,829 | 64 | 108.3 |
| 6 | Londonderry | A | 66.7 | 12,225 | $119,571 | — | 108.3 |
| 7 | Exeter | A | 65.9 | 9,964 | $87,346 | — | 108.3 |
| 8 | Concord | A | 64.4 | 44,375 | $84,902 | 181 | 100.5 |
| 9 | Keene | A | 63.7 | 22,939 | $78,445 | 143 | 100.5 |
| 10 | Hampton | A | 63.5 | 10,101 | $97,163 | — | 108.3 |
| 11 | Nashua | A | 63.2 | 91,294 | $96,326 | 110 | 105.7 |
| 12 | Milford | B+ | 61.1 | 8,956 | $78,684 | — | 105.7 |
| 13 | Somersworth | B+ | 60.8 | 12,111 | $74,504 | 114 | 108.3 |
| 14 | Derry | B+ | 60.4 | 21,339 | $91,673 | — | 108.3 |
| 15 | Rochester | B+ | 60.2 | 33,144 | $80,836 | 106 | 108.3 |
| 16 | Laconia | B+ | 60.0 | 17,085 | $73,218 | 184 | 100.5 |
| 17 | Franklin | B | 57.6 | 8,799 | $71,648 | 113 | 100.5 |
| 18 | Manchester | B | 57.3 | 115,643 | $81,007 | 323 | 105.7 |
| 19 | Claremont | B | 57.2 | 13,078 | $59,096 | 183 | 100.5 |
| 20 | Berlin | C+ | 53.3 | 9,383 | $45,180 | 337 | 100.5 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 New Hampshire cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in New Hampshire for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hanover | 73.1 | 97.5 | 100.0 | 34.4 |
| 2 | Durham | 71.1 | 91.8 | 97.3 | 56.0 |
| 3 | Lebanon | 68.7 | 89.3 | 85.6 | 60.1 |
| 4 | Portsmouth | 67.2 | 94.9 | 85.7 | 41.1 |
| 5 | Dover | 66.9 | 67.4 | 98.6 | 55.0 |
Who is New Hampshire best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best New Hampshire cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does New Hampshire compare with its neighbors?
New Hampshire ranks #1. Among its bordering states, Vermont ranks highest (#8) and Massachusetts lowest (#13). Vermont is the most similar on the composite score and Massachusetts the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | #1 | 83.4 | $99,782 | $516,306 | 104.2 | 118 | 5.94% | |
| Vermont | #8 | 74.0 | $82,730 | $399,053 | 98 | 214 | 11.53% | Compare → |
| Maine | #9 | 71.6 | $76,442 | $415,552 | 97.1 | 93 | 10.64% | Compare → |
| Massachusetts | #13 | 70.0 | $104,828 | $661,896 | 105.8 | 303 | 9.57% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 New Hampshire city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the New Hampshire numbers say when read together.
New Hampshire's best category is economy
New Hampshire ranks #2 of 50 for economy with a score of 74, against a national average of 47.1. No category ranks better than the state's overall #1.
Affordability is where New Hampshire falls furthest behind
New Hampshire ranks #40 of 50 for affordability, 39 places below its overall #1, with a score of 48.9 against a national average of 65.2. At 10% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Violent crime rate is 64% below the national average
New Hampshire's violent crime rate is 118, 64% below the national average of 328, #3 of 50 (1 = safest). The largest gap in the other direction is typical home value: $516,306, 40% above the national average. Source: FBI estimates, latest release.
More households arrive than leave
New Hampshire ranks #15 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (+1.5). The households arriving report $21,275 more in average income than those leaving ($109,318 against $88,043), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount grows. Massachusetts is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $30,212 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#38 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $24,216 surplus; a retiree couple at a $26,342 surplus. Infant childcare runs $16,462 a year, 5% above the national average.
New Hampshire outranks every bordering state
None of New Hampshire's 3 bordering states ranks above its #1; the closest match on the composite is Vermont. Median income among them runs from $76,442 in Maine to $104,828 in Massachusetts; New Hampshire is at $99,782.
Frequently asked questions about living in New Hampshire
Is New Hampshire a good place to live?
New Hampshire ranks #1 of 50 with an A+ grade, #1 of 11 in the Northeast. It is top 10 in economy, safety, education, and livability. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 4 of 6 (income, violent crime, unemployment, and tax burden) and trails on home prices and cost of living. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does New Hampshire rank among US states?
New Hampshire ranks #1 of 50 overall with a composite score of 83.4 (grade A+), and #1 of 11 states in the Northeast. Its best category rank is #2 (economy) and its worst #40 (affordability). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so A+ means rank 1–5.
Is it expensive to live in New Hampshire?
At #43 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), New Hampshire is 4% above the national average: its index is 104.2 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $516,306 (40% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $127,122 against a median household income of $99,782. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $30,212 shortfall after all costs, #38 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does New Hampshire have a state income tax?
No. New Hampshire levies no state income tax on wages. Its total state and local tax burden is 5.94% of income (#3 of 50, 1 = lowest), 2.8 points below the national average. Property tax is 1.89% of home value and combined sales tax 0%.
What is the crime rate in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire reports 118 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 64% below the national average and #3 of 50 (1 = safest), and 818 property crimes per 100,000, 47% below the national average (#2). Its safety score is 94.3 out of 100, #2 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does New Hampshire have good schools?
New Hampshire is #2 of 50 for education (score 77.5 out of 100). Its public school students average 280 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#9) and 264 in eighth-grade reading (#4), and the high school graduation rate is 87.7%, 2.1 points above the national average (#17). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Durham has the highest graduation rate at 98%.
Why are people moving to New Hampshire?
New Hampshire gained a net 2,168 households in the latest IRS release: 26,576 moved in and 24,408 moved out, +1.5 per 1,000 residents (#15 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is Massachusetts (10,603 households) and the most common destination is Massachusetts (6,594). Arriving households report an average income of $109,318 against $88,043 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is New Hampshire a red or blue state?
New Hampshire leans blue: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is D+5, meaning it votes about 5 points more Democratic than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
Is New Hampshire tax-friendly for retirees?
Mostly. No tax on wages, pensions, Social Security or withdrawals, and the interest and dividends tax is repealed, so retirement income arrives untouched. The exposure is the house. At 1.89%, a paid-off home in a town with few businesses can cost more than an income tax elsewhere. Retirees rank #6 of 50, and a couple on $75,000 ends the year at a $26,342 surplus.
Why is housing so expensive in New Hampshire?
Because Boston money meets a state that builds slowly. Incomes of $99,782 and arrivals reporting $109,318 set the ceiling; town zoning, septic and lot-size rules choke new supply. Home values rose +2.9% in a year, 1.7 points above the national average. The Lakes Region and Seacoast add second-home demand. The cheaper answer is Keene, Claremont, Rochester or Berlin, each a trade in commute or services.
Do I need a car in New Hampshire?
Yes. Transit carries 0.6% of commuters, 1.7 points below the national average; the mean commute is 27.5 minutes. The exceptions are narrow: Portsmouth and Hanover are walkable, Manchester and Nashua have city buses, and commuter buses run to Boston. Everything else, including the best school districts, assumes two cars and a plan for snow. No sales tax on the car, but the registration fee tracks its value.
What is the best part of New Hampshire to live in?
Depends on the paycheck. A Boston commuter wants Nashua, Salem or the Seacoast. A family choosing on schools looks at Hanover, Durham or Exeter. A buyer on a budget looks at Keene, Rochester or Claremont: more house, longer commute. A remote worker who wants the outdoors looks at the Lakes Region or Upper Valley. The top tracked city is Hanover; the largest is Manchester.
What should I know about New Hampshire's culture before moving?
Town meeting is real government here, and the property tax rate it sets is the year's main argument. Liquor is sold by the state at highway stores placed for out-of-state buyers. Politics lean libertarian across both parties, showing up as low regulation and thin services. Motorcycle week in Laconia and the presidential primary each shut down a corner of the state. Residents are direct.
All the numbers
Every metric behind New Hampshire's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.