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Manchester, NH

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Manchester, NH is $2,037 per month, ranking #60 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $100,436, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 24.3% of income on housing. Rent in Manchester has increased 15.0% year over year. The area has a population of 425K, with 32.5% of households renting.

24.3%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$2,037
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$100,436
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$1,532
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+15%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
425K
Population
Census ACS
32.5%
Renters
of occupied housing
$385,500
Median Home Value
5.1%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
6.5%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$1,404
Studio
$1,552
1 Bedroom
$2,037
2 Bedroom
$2,442
3 Bedroom
$2,697
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Manchester, NH, a household earning the area median income of $100,436 would spend 24.3% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$81,480
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$39
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$1,532
$505 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+55.0% since 2021
$1,3142021$1,4132022$1,6462023$1,7712024$1,9482025$2,0372026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in New Hampshire is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 216.1 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Manchester is 6.5%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
216.1 hrs
Poverty Rate
6.5%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Manchester is $385,500. At a median income of $100,436, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 3.8x. 5.1% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is below the national average and suggests a tight housing market.

Rent vs. Buy
$2,699 est. mortgage
vs $2,037 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
5.1%
of housing units

Other Areas in New Hampshire

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy
$2,941/mo
2BR FMR · 31.4% burden
Lawrence
$2,270/mo
2BR FMR · 24.2% burden
Western Rockingham County
$2,220/mo
2BR FMR · 23.7% burden
Portsmouth-Rochester
$2,194/mo
2BR FMR · 23.4% burden
Nashua
$2,127/mo
2BR FMR · 25.4% burden

Compare Manchester

vs Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, NHvs Lawrence, NHvs Western Rockingham County, NH

Areas With Similar Rent to Manchester

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Manchester, NH is $2,037 per month. A studio is $1,404/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,552/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $2,442/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $1,532/mo.

Manchester has a rent burden of 24.3%, meaning a household earning the median income of $100,436 would spend 24.3% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $81,480.

Manchester's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $2,037/mo is $787 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Manchester ranks #60 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Manchester without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $81,480, or a full-time hourly wage of $39/hour. The area median income is $100,436.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Manchester increased by 15.0% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.