What it's like to live in Concord
Concord is a small city in New Hampshire with unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Concord deals with cold, harsh winters, heavy snowfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Heavy snowfall — 68" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Concord compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Concord
Based on Concord's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,882
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $57,640 a year
- 43% of Concord renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$70,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $35,090
- Homes cost 4.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,441/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,441 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $350,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $350,900 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 35% below US
2.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 45% below US
181 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1430/100k · Concord Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 16°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 17% above US
42% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 42% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Lowell National Historical Park (42 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Concord's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and heavy snowfall. A year of median rent ($1,441/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Concord
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