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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in New Hampshire

Statewide Regional Price Parities for New Hampshire from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 1 metro areas.

104.2
Statewide RPP
#9
of 51 states by cost
114.9
Rents RPP
1
Metro areas

The verdict

New Hampshire is more expensive than 82% of U.S. states — a statewide cost index of 104.2, 4.2% above the national average.

104.2
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#9
of 51 states by overall cost
top 18%
nationally, among all states
114.9
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $96,002 when earned in New Hampshire.

Reading the New Hampshire Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places New Hampshire's statewide Regional Price Parity at 104.2 for the 2024 data year, 4.2% more expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's services line runs hottest at 133.7, while goods offer the biggest relief at 98.6. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

New Hampshire captures 1 metro area in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. With a single metro reporting in the BEA series, the statewide figure reflects that urban anchor directly. For goods the state indexes at 98.6, for services 133.7, and for rents 114.9 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, New Hampshire's statewide index has held steady within 1.9 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $96,002 of national buying power when earned inside New Hampshire, and a household relocating here would need roughly $104,165 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

104.2
Overall
98.6
Goods
133.7
Services
114.9
Rents

New Hampshire vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

104 Top 18% higher than 82% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Below this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Metro areas in New Hampshire, ranked by cost

Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
Manchester-Nashua 105.7 97.7 133.5 134.2

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 106.1
2009 105.2
2010 104.0
2011 103.5
2012 102.9
2013 102.8
2014 102.1
2015 104.0
2016 105.1
2017 105.8
2018 103.5
2019 104.0
2020 105.3
2021 102.6
2022 107.8
2023 105.4
2024 104.2

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in New Hampshire? ▼
New Hampshire has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 104.2, meaning it is 4.2% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 98.6, services at 133.7, and rents at 114.9.
What salary in New Hampshire equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $104,165 in New Hampshire. Conversely, $100K earned in New Hampshire has the purchasing power of $96,002 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in New Hampshire? ▼
Rents in New Hampshire are indexed at 114.9, which is 14.9% above the national average. Housing costs are significantly higher than typical U.S. levels.
Is New Hampshire getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, New Hampshire's overall cost index changed by -1.9 points (from 106.1 to 104.2). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in New Hampshire compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in New Hampshire is services at 133.7, which is 33.7% above the national average. The most affordable category is goods at 98.6, 1.4% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.