Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Tacoma?

Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Tacoma, WA's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $53,000 in Tacoma.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Tacoma?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Tacoma under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Concord vs Tacoma Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Tacoma

Washington

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tacoma, WA. Overall, Concord, NH is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tacoma, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $83,857 in Tacoma, WA. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Tacoma, WA

Rent

Studio

$876

$1,178

+34% in Tacoma, WA

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$1,332

+17% in Tacoma, WA

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,693

+15% in Tacoma, WA

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$2,094

+18% in Tacoma, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$454,600

+40% in Tacoma, WA

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$83,857

+0% in Tacoma, WA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$72,610

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

37.3 yr

+3.4 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

56.5%

+0.9 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

33.5%

+6.6 pp in Concord, NH

Avg Commute

23.2 min

29.0 min

+5.8 min in Tacoma, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

1,064.4

+489% in Tacoma, WA

Property Crime

1,251.5

5,695.2

+355% in Tacoma, WA

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

52.1°F

+5.7°F in Tacoma, WA

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

43.0 in

+2.4 in in Tacoma, WA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.26/gal

+34% in Tacoma, WA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Washington.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

14.9

+45% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$21.34

+2% in Concord, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Tacoma, WA

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Tacoma, WA

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Tacoma, WA

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 / WA)

None

6.5%

+6.5 pp in WA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Concord vs Tacoma — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Tacoma?: Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Tacoma, WA's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Tacoma?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $53,000 in Tacoma.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Tacoma?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Tacoma under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).