Should I Move To
Manchester, New Hampshire is home to about 115,037 people. On cost of living, it lands in the expensive band — 17% above the national average. The median renter pays around $1,362 a month against a typical household income of $74,040. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 62 out of 100 (grade C+), putting it at #103 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Manchester's composite cost-of-living index lands at 117 (100 = US average), which puts it in the expensive band. At $1,362/mo against $74,040 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 22% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $304,700.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 80°F, winter averages around 26°F. Precipitation totals about 44 inches a year. Walking covers most daily life if you live in a central neighborhood; a car is helpful for longer trips but not essential. On safety, this is a middle-of-the-pack city — neither standout nor concerning. AQI runs about 28 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Manchester doesn't obviously fit families. The profile-weighted score is 50/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (98/100); the soft spot is affordability (34/100).
Manchester reads as a moderate fit for retirees. The profile-weighted score is 57/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (98/100); the soft spot is affordability (34/100).
Manchester reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 56/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (98/100); the soft spot is affordability (34/100).
Manchester reads as a moderate fit for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 57/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (98/100); the soft spot is affordability (34/100).
Our overall score for Manchester is 62/100 — a C+, sitting at #103 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Manchester sits at 117 — expensive, 17% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,362 a month.
Manchester runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 80°F, winter's near 26°F; 44 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 79/100. Walking covers most daily life if you live in a central neighborhood; a car is helpful for longer trips but not essential.
Roughly 115,037 people live here, with 32% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 37.
Drop Manchester into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Manchester with other New Hampshire cities scored on UrbRank.
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