Manchester, NH — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·New Hampshire·Manchester

Hillsborough County · Manchester-Nashua · population 116,386

Investors
Manchester, NH
Image: Wikipedia · Manchester, New Hampshire
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Manchester stands

At or near all-time high. averaging 7.0% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $441,257
1-year +1.3%
5-yr CAGR +7.0%
vs 5-yr peak -0.3%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-02$441k$190k$280k$370k$460k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
52/100
Somewhat walkable
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
84/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,018/mo$1,355$1,747$2,139202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent141140100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 18.2
Lean buy

At a 18.2 price-to-rent ratio, Manchester is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
57 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
74 · w22%
Distance from peak
88 · w18%
Population growth
48 · w16%
Rent YoY
60 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
81 · w10%
Long thesis

Manchester has held up across the cycle: home values at $441,257 with +7.0% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Manchester's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Manchester

Manchester is a city in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, with an estimated population of 116,386. It anchors the Manchester-Nashua metro area. The median home value in Manchester is $441,257 as of 2026-04, up 1.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Manchester average $2,018 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.3%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +7.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently -0.3% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Manchester (Wikipedia)

Manchester is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Located on the banks of the Merrimack River, it had a population of 115,644 at the 2020 census. Manchester is the tenth-most populous city in New England. Along with the city of Nashua, it is one of two seats of New Hampshire's most populous county, Hillsborough County. The Manchester–Nashua metropolitan area has approximately 423,000 residents and lies near the northern end of the Northeast megalopolis.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorJay Ruais
Area34.94 sq mi
Elevation210 ft
Incorporated(As Derryfield)1751
MottoLabor Vincit (work conquers)
Density3497.05/sq mi
Named forManchester, England

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Hillsborough County right now.

NWS active alerts (NH)New Hampshire Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Hillsborough County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Manchester

25 tracked · ranked by median home value
1North End$554,864+1.9%
2Crystal Lake$520,585+1.1%
3Straw/Smyth$486,297+1.1%
4Goffs Falls$484,861+3.1%
5Green Acres$469,907+1.2%
6Southeast Manchester$453,590+2.5%
7Hanover Hill$451,865-0.5%
8Eaton Heights$442,742+0.8%
9Youngsville$440,081+1.6%
10Wolfe Park$438,668+1.2%
11Rimmon Heights$431,599+0.5%
12Lower South Willow/Airport$428,951+1.7%
13Southside$420,943+1.8%
14Highlands$418,346+1.2%
15Wellington$416,923+0.2%
16Hallsville$401,039-0.1%
17Bakersville$397,378+2.2%
18Somerville$395,836-0.9%
19Kalivas Union$395,452+1.5%
20Corey Square$390,532-0.5%
21Northwest Manchester$383,608+2.7%
22North of Bridge$370,739+2.0%
23Notre Dame$370,165+6.0%
24Downtown$340,629-8.2%

See the full neighborhood ranking →

Cities like Manchester

Dover, NH71 · RisingNashua, NH70 · RisingLaconia, NH75 · RisingRochester, NH76 · Rising

Run the numbers for Manchester

ToolCan I afford Manchester?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Manchester rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Manchester to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolManchester cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
31° / 13°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
80° / 58°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
197
~54% of year
Annual precip
43″ rain
62″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Manchester listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Manchester-Nashua area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$90,800
New Hampshire state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareTourism

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Manchester

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