Manchester vs Rochester
Manchester, New Hampshire versus Rochester, New Hampshire: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Manchester and Rochester score about the same overall (53 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Manchester | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $75k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $56k |
| Home Value | $305k | $238k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.86% | 2.18% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.66% | 6.93% |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.4 in | 51.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 52.8 in | 38.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 230 days | 174 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 81 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 32.0 | 33.0 |
| Air Quality | 31 AQI | 34 AQI |
| School Quality | 58.6 | 65.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2180/100k | 1607/100k |
| Property Crime | 2530/100k | 1774/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 115,037 | 32,573 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 43.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.39 | 0.14 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+16 |
| White (%) | 72.8% | 91.5% |
| Black (%) | 5.0% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.3% | 2.0% |
| Asian (%) | 5.1% | 1.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 8.9/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 47 mi | 65 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.5% | 89.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 28.16 | 13.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Manchester or Rochester more affordable?
- Manchester has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Manchester's $54k and Rochester's $56k. Median rent is $1k in Manchester versus $1k in Rochester.
- Is Manchester or Rochester safer?
- Rochester has the lower violent crime rate. Manchester reports 2180/100k and Rochester reports 1607/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Manchester or Rochester?
- The median home value is $305k in Manchester and $238k in Rochester, so homes are more affordable in Rochester.