What it's like to live in Manchester
Manchester is a mid-size city in New Hampshire with unemployment below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, 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. Manchester deals with cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Clean air
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 53" per year
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Manchester compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Manchester
Based on Manchester's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,128
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $62,560 a year
- 49% of Manchester renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$73,120
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,560
- Homes cost 4.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 11% above US
$1,564/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,564 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 $365,600. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $365,600 · 49% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 21% below US
3.4% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
323 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1539/100k · Manchester Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.9 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 comfortable, with highs around 79°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 & workforceNear US average
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
28 public schools inside the boundary
There are 28 public schools inside the boundary and 17 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 (24 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Manchester's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,564/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
See all the data for Manchester →·All New Hampshire cities →
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