New Hampshire Living Report — October 03, 2026

For anyone considering a move to New England, New Hampshire offers a distinct blend of rural charm, economic stability, and a pace of life that prioritizes the outdoors. With a population of roughly 1.38 million, the Granite State remains one of the country’s least densely populated states east of the Mississippi, but its small footprint belies a surprisingly robust economy and a housing market that is accessible—though not cheap—relative to neighbors like Massachusetts or Vermont.

The cost of living in New Hampshire is a mixed bag. Housing is the biggest variable. The median one-bedroom apartment rents for $1,336 per month, which, against the state’s median household income of $90,845, pencils out to a remarkably manageable 17.6% of gross monthly income. That figure is well below the federally recommended 30% threshold, suggesting that renters here generally have breathing room in their budgets. For buyers, the median home value sits at $337,100. While that number has risen steadily over the past decade, it still offers more square footage per dollar than in many parts of the Northeast, and property taxes—among the highest in the nation—are offset by the absence of a state sales or income tax.

The job market is a primary draw. As of August 2026, New Hampshire’s unemployment rate stood at just 2.8%, a level that signals a tight labor market where employers compete for workers. Key industries include advanced manufacturing, health care, and technology, with growing remote-work hubs in towns like Portsmouth and Concord. The state’s poverty rate of 7.1% is one of the lowest in the country,

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Browse utility costs, housing data, Census demographics, and climate data for all 119 tracked cities in New Hampshire.

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Data: US Census Bureau ACS 2022, BLS. Updated October 03, 2026.

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