Vermont vs New Hampshire: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Vermont or New Hampshire?
- Overall, New Hampshire is 6.3% more expensive than Vermont (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Vermont works out to about $79,800 in New Hampshire, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 32.9% more in New Hampshire. Goods are 1.3% higher and other services 2.3% higher.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $64,632 in New Hampshire and $58,893 in Vermont (9.7% higher in New Hampshire; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run 105.7 in Manchester, NH, its only metro area (New Hampshire) and 100.9 in Burlington, VT, its only metro area (Vermont), US = 100.
- The gap has widened since 2019, when New Hampshire was 4.4% more expensive than Vermont.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 32.9% higher in New Hampshire than in Vermont
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Vermont | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 98.0 | 104.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 98.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 86.5 | 114.9 |
| Utilities | 125.8 | 133.7 |
| Other services | 101.6 | 103.9 |
| Category | Vermont | New Hampshire | New Hampshire vs Vermont |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 98.0 | 104.2 | +6.3% |
| Goods | 97.3 | 98.6 | +1.3% |
| Housing (rents) | 86.5 | 114.9 | +32.9% |
| Utilities | 125.8 | 133.7 | +6.2% |
| Other services | 101.6 | 103.9 | +2.3% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $58,893 | $64,632 | +9.7% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $4.25 | $4.25 | 0.0% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Vermont | $75,000 | $79,800 | +6.3% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *New England region average (EIA has no separate Vermont figure). *New England region average (EIA has no separate New Hampshire figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Vermont
- Burlington, VT 100.9
New Hampshire
- Manchester, NH 105.7
- Boston, MA 108.3
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Vermont and New Hampshire has been fairly stable since 2008
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Vermont | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.7 | 106.1 |
| 2009 | 101.4 | 105.2 |
| 2010 | 99.4 | 104.0 |
| 2011 | 99.1 | 103.5 |
| 2012 | 100.0 | 102.9 |
| 2013 | 100.4 | 102.8 |
| 2014 | 97.9 | 102.1 |
| 2015 | 100.0 | 104.0 |
| 2016 | 98.2 | 105.1 |
| 2017 | 100.3 | 105.8 |
| 2018 | 100.2 | 103.5 |
| 2019 | 99.6 | 104.0 |
| 2020 | 102.1 | 105.3 |
| 2021 | 98.7 | 102.6 |
| 2022 | 101.0 | 107.8 |
| 2023 | 97.1 | 105.4 |
| 2024 | 98.0 | 104.2 |
Goods
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Vermont | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.7 | 98.7 |
| 2009 | 101.2 | 98.3 |
| 2010 | 98.4 | 98.3 |
| 2011 | 98.4 | 99.7 |
| 2012 | 99.0 | 99.7 |
| 2013 | 98.2 | 99.3 |
| 2014 | 98.0 | 101.5 |
| 2015 | 99.0 | 101.1 |
| 2016 | 98.7 | 101.6 |
| 2017 | 99.5 | 101.8 |
| 2018 | 100.7 | 101.2 |
| 2019 | 98.8 | 100.7 |
| 2020 | 98.7 | 101.8 |
| 2021 | 98.3 | 102.1 |
| 2022 | 100.5 | 104.6 |
| 2023 | 97.9 | 100.0 |
| 2024 | 97.3 | 98.6 |
Housing (rents)
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Vermont | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 98.8 | 118.5 |
| 2009 | 101.8 | 122.7 |
| 2010 | 98.4 | 123.2 |
| 2011 | 101.4 | 119.5 |
| 2012 | 105.5 | 121.4 |
| 2013 | 98.7 | 123.6 |
| 2014 | 96.9 | 115.3 |
| 2015 | 98.9 | 119.7 |
| 2016 | 87.1 | 112.6 |
| 2017 | 93.3 | 119.6 |
| 2018 | 97.8 | 108.6 |
| 2019 | 94.3 | 110.7 |
| 2020 | 105.3 | 115.8 |
| 2021 | 92.9 | 107.0 |
| 2022 | 88.9 | 121.5 |
| 2023 | 82.3 | 114.5 |
| 2024 | 86.5 | 114.9 |
Utilities
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Vermont | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 129.0 | 134.3 |
| 2009 | 134.8 | 138.4 |
| 2010 | 130.3 | 126.8 |
| 2011 | 134.2 | 131.7 |
| 2012 | 135.4 | 130.5 |
| 2013 | 133.0 | 123.9 |
| 2014 | 127.9 | 126.6 |
| 2015 | 126.6 | 131.0 |
| 2016 | 130.2 | 137.1 |
| 2017 | 130.0 | 143.8 |
| 2018 | 128.8 | 142.8 |
| 2019 | 125.9 | 145.0 |
| 2020 | 140.7 | 144.0 |
| 2021 | 130.6 | 140.9 |
| 2022 | 117.5 | 149.2 |
| 2023 | 122.1 | 156.2 |
| 2024 | 125.8 | 133.7 |
Other services
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Vermont | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.3 | 106.8 |
| 2009 | 100.3 | 103.8 |
| 2010 | 99.3 | 101.9 |
| 2011 | 97.8 | 100.7 |
| 2012 | 97.8 | 99.3 |
| 2013 | 101.4 | 99.0 |
| 2014 | 97.2 | 98.3 |
| 2015 | 100.2 | 100.8 |
| 2016 | 100.7 | 104.3 |
| 2017 | 102.2 | 103.5 |
| 2018 | 99.8 | 102.5 |
| 2019 | 101.1 | 103.1 |
| 2020 | 102.2 | 103.4 |
| 2021 | 99.9 | 100.6 |
| 2022 | 105.1 | 105.1 |
| 2023 | 101.7 | 105.1 |
| 2024 | 101.6 | 103.9 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $64,632 in New Hampshire, $58,893 in Vermont
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Vermont | New Hampshire | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $45,453 | $48,352 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $44,810 | $48,316 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $46,190 | $49,967 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $47,638 | $51,195 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $47,524 | $52,195 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $47,151 | $51,281 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $49,364 | $52,500 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $49,521 | $53,623 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $50,686 | $54,017 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $49,958 | $54,844 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $50,654 | $57,215 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $52,744 | $59,512 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $54,552 | $61,489 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $56,938 | $66,325 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $54,437 | $60,234 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $58,061 | $62,459 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $58,893 | $64,632 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Vermont
- Cost of living in New Hampshire
- Reverse: moving from New Hampshire to Vermont
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.