Manchester vs Woodbury
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $365,600 in Manchester and $450,200 in Woodbury.
- Households earn more in Woodbury ($125,310 vs $81,007 median).
- Manchester has the warmer winter: January highs of 32°F vs 24°F.
- Manchester gets far more snow: 68 inches a year vs 51.
- Woodbury is growing faster: +8.6% since 2020 vs +1%.
- New Hampshire has no state income tax on wages; Minnesota's top rate is 9.85%.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Woodbury, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 116,818 | 81,558 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1% | +8.6% |
| People per square mile | 3,532 | 2,337 |
| Median age | 38.0 | 38.0 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34% | 61% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $81,007 | $125,310 |
| Median home value | $365,600 | $450,200 |
| Home value to income | 4.5× | 3.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,564 | $1,908 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 105.7 | 104.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 134.2 | 111.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,200 | $78,600 |
| Homeowners | 49% | 78% |
| Top state income tax | None | 9.85% |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 8.14% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.9 | 23.9 |
| Work from home | 14% | 27% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.3% | 3.9% |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 32° / 13° | 24° / 9° |
| July high / low | 83° / 59° | 83° / 65° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 32 in |
| Snowfall per year | 68 in | 51 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 14 | 13 |
| Nights below freezing | 165 | 147 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.8 | 83.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 85% | 55% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.8% | +2.6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +52.4% | +27.3% |
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. Woodbury: May and July to September.
Full monthly tables: Manchester weather by month and Woodbury 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 $78,600 in Woodbury. Moving from Manchester to Woodbury, you would need about $74,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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