Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Worcester?

Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Manchester, NH's $1,420, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $41,000 in Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Worcester?

Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Manchester vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,420/mo est.

Worcester

Massachusetts

$1,340/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,420 in Manchester, NH versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Manchester, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 13% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$880

$1,087

+24% in Worcester, MA

1 Bedroom

$1,150

$1,028

+11% in Manchester, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,593

$1,476

+7% in Manchester, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,661

$1,675

+1% in Worcester, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$336,300

$339,500

+1% in Worcester, MA

Income

Median Household Income

$77,415

$67,544

+13% in Manchester, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,530

$57,830

+2% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.9 yr

34.1 yr

+3.8 yr in Manchester, NH

Homeownership

49.3%

42.4%

+6.9 pp in Manchester, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.5%

34.1%

+0.6 pp in Worcester, MA

Avg Commute

23.8 min

25.1 min

+1.3 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

339.5

640.2

+89% in Worcester, MA

Property Crime

1,691.4

1,580.3

+7% in Manchester, NH

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

48.1 in

+3.5 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$4.07/gal

+3% in Worcester, MA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Massachusetts.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

29.6

+10% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$30.66

+41% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / MA)

None

6.25%

+6.3 pp in MA

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.00%

+9.0 pp in MA

Manchester vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Worcester?: Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Manchester, NH's $1,420, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Worcester?: Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% 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).