Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Milwaukee

Wisconsin

$1,040/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,430 in Manchester, NH versus $1,040 in Milwaukee, WI. Overall, Milwaukee, WI is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Manchester, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $51,888 in Milwaukee, WI — about 33% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Wisconsin has a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 5% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Milwaukee, WI

Rent

Studio
$880
$841
+4% in Manchester, NH
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$849
+26% in Manchester, NH
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,031
+35% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,193
+28% in Manchester, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$172,000
+49% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$51,888
+33% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$51,160
+9% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
32.2 yr
+5.7 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
41.5%
+7.8 pp in Manchester, NH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
26.6%
+6.9 pp in Manchester, NH
Avg Commute
23.8 min
22.4 min
+1.4 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
1,452.3
+328% in Milwaukee, WI
Property Crime
1,691.4
2,772.2
+64% in Milwaukee, WI

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
49.2°F
47.9°F
+1.3°F in Manchester, NH
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
34.8 in
+9.8 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Milwaukee, WI

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
19.7
+28% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$11.79
+52% in Manchester, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.66
+14% in Manchester, NH
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Milwaukee, WI
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.77
+2% in Manchester, NH
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.10
+4% in Manchester, NH
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Manchester, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / WI)
None
5%
+5.0 pp in WI
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.65%
+7.7 pp in WI

Manchester vs Milwaukee — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Milwaukee?
Milwaukee, WI is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,040 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Milwaukee?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $34,000 in Milwaukee.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Milwaukee?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Milwaukee under Wisconsin's (a top state income tax rate of 7.65% and a 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).