Living Cost Compare
Charleston

West Virginia

$860/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 $860 in Charleston, WV versus $1,430 in Manchester, NH. Overall, Charleston, WV is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Manchester, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,512 in Charleston, WV and $77,415 in Manchester, NH — about 17% higher in Manchester, NH. West Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% state sales tax; New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Charleston, WV
Manchester, NH

Rent

Studio
$630
$880
+40% in Manchester, NH
1 Bedroom
$668
$1,150
+72% in Manchester, NH
2 Bedroom
$980
$1,593
+63% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,139
$1,661
+46% in Manchester, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$187,300
$336,300
+80% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income
$64,512
$77,415
+20% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$45,830
$56,530
+23% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.6 yr
37.9 yr
+4.7 yr in Charleston, WV
Homeownership
62.8%
49.3%
+13.5 pp in Charleston, WV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
44.1%
33.5%
+10.6 pp in Charleston, WV
Avg Commute
17.9 min
23.8 min
+5.9 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
542.7
339.5
+37% in Charleston, WV
Property Crime
3,148
1,691.4
+46% in Charleston, WV

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
55.7°F
49.2°F
+6.5°F in Charleston, WV
Annual Precipitation
44.0 in
44.6 in
+0.5 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.86/gal
about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.8
27.3
+63% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.68
$24.53
+1% in Charleston, WV

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 Charleston, WV
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 (WV / NH)
6%
None
+6.0 pp in WV
Income Tax (top rate)
4.82%
None
+4.8 pp in WV

Charleston vs Manchester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Manchester?
Charleston, WV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $860 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Manchester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $27,000 a year in Charleston versus $46,000 in Manchester.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Manchester?
Charleston is taxed under West Virginia's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.82% and a 6% 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).