Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Shreveport?

Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Shreveport?

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 Shreveport.

Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Shreveport?

Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax).

Manchester vs Shreveport Cost of Living 2026

Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

Shreveport

Louisiana

$1,000/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 $1,000 in Shreveport, LA. Overall, Shreveport, LA is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Manchester, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $48,465 in Shreveport, LA — about 37% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH

Shreveport, LA

Rent

Studio

$880

$756

+14% in Manchester, NH

1 Bedroom

$1,150

$843

+27% in Manchester, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,593

$978

+39% in Manchester, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,661

$1,136

+32% in Manchester, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$336,300

$178,100

+47% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$77,415

$48,465

+37% in Manchester, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,530

$44,820

+21% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.9 yr

37.5 yr

+0.4 yr in Manchester, NH

Homeownership

49.3%

53.8%

+4.5 pp in Shreveport, LA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.5%

27.5%

+6.0 pp in Manchester, NH

Avg Commute

23.8 min

19.0 min

+4.8 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

339.5

1,235.4

+264% in Shreveport, LA

Property Crime

1,691.4

4,048.2

+139% in Shreveport, LA

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

65.5°F

+16.3°F in Shreveport, LA

Annual Precipitation

44.6 in

51.0 in

+6.4 in in Shreveport, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$3.62/gal

+6% in Manchester, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.3

14.2

+48% in Manchester, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.53

$16.62

+32% in Manchester, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Manchester, NH

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Manchester, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Shreveport, LA

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Manchester, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Manchester, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Manchester, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / LA)

None

+5.0 pp in LA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.00%

+3.0 pp in LA

Manchester vs Shreveport — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Shreveport?: Shreveport, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,000 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Shreveport?: 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 Shreveport.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Shreveport?: Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Shreveport under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% 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).