Massachusetts vs New Hampshire: cost of living
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $639 more a month in New Hampshire than in Massachusetts after 2026 taxes, rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries. Median rent is 16% lower in New Hampshire.
| A month, single filer on $75,000 | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | $4,839 | $5,133 | +$294 |
| Rent (median, incl. utilities the renter pays) | $1,848 | $1,558 | −$290 |
| Electricity (average home bill) | $174 | $171 | −$3 |
| Gas for 1,000 miles a month | $155 | $155 | −$0 |
| Car insurance, full coverage | $137 | $85 | −$52 |
| Health insurance, your share of a job plan (U.S. average) | $139 | $139 | +$0 |
| Groceries (U.S. average household) | $519 | $519 | +$0 |
| Left over after these | $1,866 | $2,505 | +$639 |
Sources: take-home pay from 2026 IRS brackets, SSA wage base and Tax Foundation state rates; rent from Census ACS; electricity from EIA; gas from AAA (1,000 miles at 27.2 mpg); car insurance from Insurify; groceries are the U.S. average household from BLS (2024) in both states. Each figure has its own date, shown on the linked page. Our calculation, a rough guide, not an exact budget.
Compare two states
Same salary in both states, single filer, 2026 taxes. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in both. Electricity can be partly counted in gross rent. "I own a home" swaps rent for home insurance and property tax but leaves out the mortgage payment. Our calculation, a rough guide.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to live in Massachusetts or New Hampshire?
New Hampshire, by the basics we track. On $75,000 a year, New Hampshire leaves about $639 more a month ($7,669 a year) after 2026 taxes, median rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries (our calculation).
What salary in New Hampshire equals $75,000 in Massachusetts?
About $64,400 a year. At that salary a single filer in New Hampshire keeps the same $1,866 a month after taxes and the same basics as $75,000 in Massachusetts (our calculation).
How do taxes compare between Massachusetts and New Hampshire?
Massachusetts has income tax from 5% to 9% and New Hampshire has no income tax on wages (Tax Foundation, 2026). On $75,000, take-home pay is about $4,839 a month in Massachusetts and $5,133 in New Hampshire.
How much is rent in Massachusetts vs New Hampshire?
The median rent is $1,848 a month in Massachusetts and $1,558 in New Hampshire (Census ACS).
Planning the move itself? See the full monthly budget for Massachusetts or New Hampshire, and the take-home pay calculators for Massachusetts and New Hampshire.