Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Grand Rapids?

Grand Rapids, MI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,200 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $39,000 in Grand Rapids.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Grand Rapids?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Grand Rapids under Michigan's (a top state income tax rate of 4.25% and a 6% state sales tax).

Concord vs Grand Rapids Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Grand Rapids

Michigan

$1,200/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 $1,200 in Grand Rapids, MI. Overall, Grand Rapids, MI is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Concord, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $65,526 in Grand Rapids, MI — about 22% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Michigan has a top state income tax rate of 4.25% and a 6% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Grand Rapids, MI

Rent

Studio

$876

$992

+13% in Grand Rapids, MI

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$964

+15% in Concord, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,206

+18% in Concord, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,421

+20% in Concord, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$225,500

+30% in Concord, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$65,526

+22% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$47,570

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

32.1 yr

+8.6 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

54.6%

+2.8 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

about equal

Avg Commute

23.2 min

19.4 min

+3.8 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

910.1

+404% in Grand Rapids, MI

Property Crime

1,251.5

2,506.2

+100% in Grand Rapids, MI

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

49.1°F

+2.7°F in Grand Rapids, MI

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

38.3 in

+2.3 in in Concord, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Concord, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

23.0

+15% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$19.72

+9% in Concord, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Grand Rapids, MI

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / MI)

None

+6.0 pp in MI

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.25%

+4.3 pp in MI

Concord vs Grand Rapids — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Grand Rapids?: Grand Rapids, MI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,200 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Grand Rapids?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $39,000 in Grand Rapids.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Grand Rapids?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Grand Rapids under Michigan's (a top state income tax rate of 4.25% and a 6% 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).