Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Fresno?

Fresno, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,380 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Fresno?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $42,000 in Fresno.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Fresno?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Fresno under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax).

Concord vs Fresno Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Fresno

California

$1,380/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,380 in Fresno, CA. Overall, Fresno, CA is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Concord, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $66,804 in Fresno, CA — about 20% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Fresno, CA

Rent

Studio

$876

$1,072

+22% in Fresno, CA

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$1,042

+8% in Concord, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,293

+12% in Concord, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,688

+5% in Concord, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$348,500

+8% in Fresno, CA

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$66,804

+20% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$46,910

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

32.4 yr

+8.3 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

49.7%

+7.7 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

24.9%

+15.2 pp in Concord, NH

Avg Commute

23.2 min

22.3 min

+0.9 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

742.2

+311% in Fresno, CA

Property Crime

1,251.5

3,335.3

+167% in Fresno, CA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.4°F

64.4°F

+18.0°F in Fresno, CA

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

11.5 in

+29.1 in in Concord, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.52/gal

+40% in Fresno, CA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs FAX (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

34.7

+29% in Fresno, CA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$20.33

+6% in Concord, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Fresno, CA

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Fresno, CA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Fresno, CA

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / CA)

None

7.25%

+7.3 pp in CA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

13.30%

+13.3 pp in CA

Concord vs Fresno — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Fresno?: Fresno, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,380 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Fresno?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $42,000 in Fresno.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Fresno?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Fresno under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).