Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Springfield?

Springfield, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $31,000 in Springfield.

Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Springfield?

Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Springfield under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax).

Manchester vs Springfield Cost of Living 2026

Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

Springfield

Missouri

$940/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 $940 in Springfield, MO. Overall, Springfield, MO is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Manchester, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $45,984 in Springfield, MO — about 41% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH

Springfield, MO

Rent

Studio

$880

$760

+14% in Manchester, NH

1 Bedroom

$1,150

$772

+33% in Manchester, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,593

$926

+42% in Manchester, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,661

$1,158

+30% in Manchester, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$336,300

$165,200

+51% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$77,415

$45,984

+41% in Manchester, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,530

$45,780

+19% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.9 yr

33.6 yr

+4.3 yr in Manchester, NH

Homeownership

49.3%

42.9%

+6.4 pp in Manchester, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.5%

30.3%

+3.2 pp in Manchester, NH

Avg Commute

23.8 min

18.0 min

+5.8 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

339.5

1,189.8

+250% in Springfield, MO

Property Crime

1,691.4

4,231.6

+150% in Springfield, MO

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

56.3°F

+7.1°F in Springfield, MO

Annual Precipitation

44.6 in

45.6 in

+1.0 in in Springfield, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in Springfield, MO

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.3

13.7

+50% in Manchester, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.53

$24.13

+2% in Manchester, 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 Manchester, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Springfield, MO

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 / MO)

None

4.225%

+4.2 pp in MO

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.70%

+4.7 pp in MO

Manchester vs Springfield — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Springfield?: Springfield, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Springfield?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $31,000 in Springfield.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Springfield?: Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Springfield under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).