Manchester vs Nashua
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $365,600 in Manchester and $403,900 in Nashua.
- Households earn more in Nashua ($96,326 vs $81,007 median).
- Manchester gets far more snow: 68 inches a year vs 53.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Nashua, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 116,818 | 92,435 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1% | +1.2% |
| People per square mile | 3,532 | 2,998 |
| Median age | 38.0 | 40.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34% | 41% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $81,007 | $96,326 |
| Median home value | $365,600 | $403,900 |
| Home value to income | 4.5× | 4.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,564 | $1,737 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 105.7 | 105.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 134.2 | 134.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,200 | $79,200 |
| Homeowners | 49% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 0% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.9 | 26.0 |
| Work from home | 14% | 17% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.3% | 4.2% |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 7.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 32° / 13° | 34° / 14° |
| July high / low | 83° / 59° | 84° / 61° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 48 in |
| Snowfall per year | 68 in | 53 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 14 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 165 | 155 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.8 | 89.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 85% | 85% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.8% | +4.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +52.4% | +52.4% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Manchester: May to September. Nashua: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Manchester weather by month and Nashua weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $79,200 in Manchester and $79,200 in Nashua. Moving from Manchester to Nashua, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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