Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,430 in Manchester, NH. Overall, Arlington, TX is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Manchester, NH, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $77,415 in Manchester, NH — about 5% higher in Manchester, NH. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Manchester, NH

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$880
+19% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$1,150
+3% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,593
+13% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,661
+9% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$336,300
+22% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$77,415
+5% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$56,530
+10% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
37.9 yr
+4.3 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
54.8%
49.3%
+5.5 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
33.5%
+0.4 pp in Manchester, NH
Avg Commute
26.7 min
23.8 min
+2.9 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
339.5
+31% in Arlington, TX
Property Crime
2,434.5
1,691.4
+31% in Arlington, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
49.2°F
+16.2°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
44.6 in
+5.0 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.86/gal
+7% in Manchester, NH

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
27.3
+66% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$24.53
+20% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Manchester, NH
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Manchester, NH
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Arlington, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Manchester, NH
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Manchester, NH
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Manchester, NH

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NH)
6.25%
None
+6.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Arlington vs Manchester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Manchester?
Arlington, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,380 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Manchester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $46,000 in Manchester.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Manchester?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Manchester under New Hampshire's (no state income tax and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).