Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
Quality of Life Score
60.23
State Comparison
Massachusetts vs New Hampshire
New Hampshire is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in New Hampshire, Massachusetts has higher incomes, New Hampshire has lower state income tax, and Massachusetts gets more sunshine.
Massachusetts
13
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
New Hampshire
18
/ 31
metrics won
NH wins Housing
NH wins Quality of Life
MA wins Climate
NH wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Massachusetts
winner
vs
New Hampshire
Massachusetts scores higher on quality of life — 2.02 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
New Hampshire is 31.7 points cheaper overall
New Hampshire has the lower cost-of-living index. New Hampshire is at 117.1, while Massachusetts is at 148.8.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $3.27 further in New Hampshire
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $98.82 of local buying power in New Hampshire, versus $95.55 in Massachusetts.
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Income
Massachusetts income is 6.2% higher
Massachusetts has the higher median household income at $96,505, compared with $90,845 in New Hampshire.
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Jobs
Massachusetts minimum wage is $7.75 higher
Massachusetts has the higher statewide minimum wage at $15.00/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in New Hampshire.
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Housing
Massachusetts homes cost about 1.4x more
New Hampshire has the lower median home value at $377,600, versus $510,400 in Massachusetts.
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Taxes
New Hampshire has lower state income tax
New Hampshire has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 0.00%, compared with 5.00% in Massachusetts.
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Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Massachusetts
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.0%)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
New Hampshire
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
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- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (110.4 for Massachusetts, 103.4 for New Hampshire). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Massachusetts
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Massachusetts
- Massachusetts shows higher median income.
- Massachusetts has lower property tax rates on average.
- Massachusetts job growth trend is stronger.
- Massachusetts health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Massachusetts health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- Massachusetts education proxy is higher.
Cons
- Massachusetts has a higher overall cost of living.
- Massachusetts has a higher housing cost index.
- Massachusetts has higher median home values.
- Massachusetts has a higher violent crime rate.
New Hampshire
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: New Hampshire
- New Hampshire has a lower overall cost of living.
- New Hampshire has a lower housing cost index.
- New Hampshire has lower median home values.
- New Hampshire has a lower violent crime rate.
Cons
- New Hampshire shows lower median income.
- New Hampshire has higher property tax rates on average.
- New Hampshire job growth trend is weaker.
- New Hampshire health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- New Hampshire health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- New Hampshire education proxy is lower.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
MA
|
NH
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Boston | Concord |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
7,029,917
|
1,377,529
|
|
Median Income
|
$96,505
|
$90,845
|
|
Cost of Living
|
148.8
|
117.1
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$510,400
|
$377,600
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.07%
|
1.66%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
5.00%
|
None (0%)
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$15.00/hr
|
$7.25/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.933/gal
|
$3.925/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
31.16 c/kWh
|
26.32 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
60.23
|
58.21
|
|
Average Temperature
|
47.9°F
|
43.8°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
98 days
|
90 days
|
|
Land Area
|
10,554 sq mi
|
9,349 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
666.1 per sq mi
|
147.3 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
February 6, 1788 (#6)
|
June 21, 1788 (#9)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
19
shown
Saving Money
New Hampshire is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 117.1 vs 148.8 in Massachusetts. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
New Hampshire is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.925/gal in New Hampshire vs $3.933/gal in Massachusetts. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
Massachusetts has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $15.00/hr in Massachusetts vs $7.25/hr in New Hampshire. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
New Hampshire has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 26.32 c/kWh in New Hampshire vs 31.16 c/kWh in Massachusetts. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
New Hampshire is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 4.16x in New Hampshire vs 5.29x in Massachusetts. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
New Hampshire is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 19.2% in New Hampshire vs 20.9% in Massachusetts. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
Massachusetts has a larger population than New Hampshire by 5,652,388 people.
Population Density
Massachusetts is more densely populated than New Hampshire.
Bachelor's Degree
Massachusetts has a higher college-educated share than New Hampshire.
Advanced Degree
Massachusetts has a higher advanced-degree share than New Hampshire.
People Also Ask
Massachusetts vs New Hampshire - Common Questions
Q Is Massachusetts cheaper to live in than New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), New Hampshire scores 117.1 versus 148.8 for Massachusetts - a gap of 31.7 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Massachusetts or New Hampshire?
$100 goes further in New Hampshire. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $98.82 in New Hampshire, compared with $95.55 in Massachusetts.
Q Which state is bigger - Massachusetts or New Hampshire?
Massachusetts is larger, covering 10,554 sq mi compared with 9,349 sq mi for New Hampshire - roughly 1.1x the size.
Q Does Massachusetts or New Hampshire have more people?
Massachusetts has the larger population at 7,029,917, compared with 1,377,529 in New Hampshire.
Q Which state has higher household income - Massachusetts or New Hampshire?
Massachusetts has the higher median household income at $96,505, versus $90,845 in New Hampshire.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Massachusetts or New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has no state income tax, while Massachusetts charges up to 5.00%.
Q Is housing cheaper in Massachusetts or New Hampshire?
Homes are cheaper in New Hampshire, where the median home value is $377,600, versus $510,400 in Massachusetts.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Massachusetts or New Hampshire?
Massachusetts is more densely populated at 666.1 per sq mi people per sq mi. New Hampshire is more spread out at 147.3 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.