Is $31,000 a good salary in New Hampshire?

$31,000 in New Hampshire provides a monthly take-home of approximately $2,251 after taxes. Across major New Hampshire cities, this salary is rated very tight, with an average monthly surplus of $-242.

What is the cost of living on $31,000 in New Hampshire?

The average monthly living cost across major New Hampshire cities is approximately $2,493 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $31,000 take-home pay of $2,251/month, you would have roughly $-242/month remaining.

Living in New Hampshire · 2026

Is $31,000 enough to live in New Hampshire?

Single adult · NH · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Very tight

Monthly take-home

$2,251

Avg monthly expenses

$2,493

Avg monthly surplus

$-242

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in New Hampshire

Gross salary$31,000

Federal income tax− $1,614

State income tax− $0

Social Security− $1,922

Medicare− $450

Annual take-home$27,014

Effective tax rate12.86%

How $31,000 feels in New Hampshire cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Manchester

COL index: 1.16× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,550

Food

$493

Transport

$203

Utilities

$191

Healthcare

$232

Total: $2,669/mo

Surplus: $-418/mo

Rent burden: 68.9% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Manchester analysis →

Nashua

COL index: 1.18× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,600

Food

$506

Transport

$207

Utilities

$195

Healthcare

$236

Total: $2,744/mo

Surplus: $-493/mo

Rent burden: 71.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Nashua analysis →

Concord

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,400

Food

$475

Transport

$189

Utilities

$178

Healthcare

$216

Total: $2,458/mo

Surplus: $-207/mo

Rent burden: 62.2% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Concord analysis →

Derry

COL index: 1.10× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,450

Food

$484

Transport

$193

Utilities

$182

Healthcare

$220

Total: $2,529/mo

Surplus: $-278/mo

Rent burden: 64.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Derry analysis →

Dover

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,400

Food

$471

Transport

$189

Utilities

$178

Healthcare

$216

Total: $2,454/mo

Surplus: $-203/mo

Rent burden: 62.2% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Dover analysis →

Rochester

COL index: 0.95× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$1,150

Food

$440

Transport

$166

Utilities

$157

Healthcare

$190

Total: $2,103/mo

Surplus: $148/mo

Rent burden: 51.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Rochester analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $2,251 ($27,012/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$1,126

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$675

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$450

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$13,506

Wants / year

$8,104

Savings / year

$5,402

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Manchester

Rent alone would take 69% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $62,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 1.7/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $31,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Manchester, New Hampshire. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $418, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Manchester's above-average cost of living (index: 1.16) means $31,000 provides the purchasing power of roughly $26,724 in an average-cost US city, or $31,534 in Austin. Moving to a lower-cost state could effectively increase your take-home by thousands.

State & National Benchmark

$31,000 is 45% below the New Hampshire individual median of $56,500. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$56,500

-45%

State household median

$95,341

-67%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$31,000 vs. New Hampshire income benchmarks

Individual median (New Hampshire)

$56,500

-45% vs. this salary

Household median (New Hampshire)

$95,341

-67% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in New Hampshire

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.