Relocation report 2026

Moving from Connecticut to New Hampshire

Moving to New Hampshire on the same salary raises your real buying power by 6.7%. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.

About 160 miles by road
Equal salary in NH
$88,300
matches $95,000 in CT
Take-home change per year
+$5,150
same $95,000 salary, after 2026 taxes
Moving cost (2–3 BR)
$310–$4,860
truck to full-service
Households made this move
937
IRS, 2022–2023
Your income

Equal salary in NH: $88,300

To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $88,300 in New Hampshire to match $95,000 in Connecticut ($6,700 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.

Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.

Take-home in CT
$70,513
25.8% total tax
Take-home in NH
$75,663
20.4% total tax
Take-home change per year
+$5,150
same salary, after moving
Purchasing power
+6.7%
prices higher by 0.6%
Renting: yearly change after selected costs
+$5,711
take-home change − rent change ($1,550 → $1,558/mo) − power bill change
Buying the median home (20% down): yearly change after selected costs
+$2,214
take-home change − change in monthly cost to own the median home ($2,789 → $3,088/mo: 30-year mortgage at the current 6.95% average rate, property tax, insurance) − power bill change

These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.

2026 taxes on a $95,000 salary in Connecticut and New Hampshire
Tax on $95,000ConnecticutNew Hampshire
Federal income tax$12,070$12,070
Social Security + Medicare$7,268$7,268
State income tax$4,675$0
State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit)$475$0
Take-home pay$70,513$75,663

Key facts: Connecticut to New Hampshire

Median rent
$1,550 → $1,558/mo
Median home value
$396,900 → $458,800
Price level (U.S. = 100)
103.6 → 104.2
Road distance
≈ 160 miles
Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
Among the highest → Above average

What changes when you move to New Hampshire

Yearly rent at the state median
Connecticut$18,600
New Hampshire$18,696

Who moves from Connecticut to New Hampshire

In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 937 households (1,447 people) filed their taxes in New Hampshire after filing in Connecticut the year before. That makes New Hampshire the #13 destination for people leaving Connecticut. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $127,088. Going the other way, 611 households moved from New Hampshire to Connecticut, a net gain of 326 households for New Hampshire.

Five-year trend

Moves from Connecticut to New Hampshire peaked in 2020–21 at 1,034 households, then fell 9% by 2022–23. That is still up 0% from 2018–19.

Households moving CT → NH, by IRS tax year
2018–19937
2019–20986
2020–211,034
2021–22930
2022–23937

Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.

Cost to move from Connecticut to New Hampshire

Moving cost: $310–$4,860

Moving about 160 miles from Connecticut to New Hampshire costs roughly $310 – $4,860, depending on how much of the work you hire out.

Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate). Short moves are often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.

Moving methodTypical range
Rental truck (DIY)
Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time.
$310 – $600
Moving container
You pack and load; the company drives the container.
$1,090 – $2,030
Full-service movers
Packing, loading, transport and unloading.
$1,830 – $4,860

These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.

A rental truck also burns about 16 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.

Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.

Shipping a car from Connecticut to New Hampshire

Car shipping: $580–$890

Shipping a sedan from Connecticut to New Hampshire on an open carrier costs about $580–$890, typically 1–4 days in transit over about 160 miles.

Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.

Connecticut vs New Hampshire take-home pay at every salary

Salary needed in New Hampshire to match each Connecticut salary, and take-home pay in both states (single filer, 2026 taxes)
SalaryEqual salary in NHTake-home changeTake-home in CTTake-home in NH
$50,000$47,500+$2,250$40,105$42,355
$75,000$70,000+$3,850$57,743$61,593
$100,000$92,800+$5,475$73,705$79,180
$150,000$137,800+$8,975$104,816$113,791
$250,000$226,600+$16,323$166,860$183,182

Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.

At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax while you live in Connecticut, which narrows the gap shown.

Cost of living: Connecticut vs New Hampshire

Prices, rent, home values and taxes in Connecticut and New Hampshire
MeasureConnecticutNew Hampshire
Overall price level (U.S. = 100)103.6104.2
Housing price index117.0114.9
Utilities price index146.5133.7
Goods price index97.398.6
Median rent (monthly)$1,550$1,558
Median home value$396,900$458,800
Median property tax (yearly)$6,573$6,707
Electricity (residential)24.32¢/kWh27.01¢/kWh
State sales tax rate6.35%0%
Median household income$96,049$99,782

Renting and buying: Connecticut vs New Hampshire

Cost to rent or buy the median home in Connecticut and New Hampshire
MeasureConnecticutNew Hampshire
Income to rent the median home (30% rule)$62,000$62,320
Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down)$2,789$3,088
Income needed to buy the median home$119,521$132,355
Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage)$1,671$1,197
Infant child care (center, yearly)$18,492$16,040

Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in New Hampshire for other down payments.

Your yearly budget: Connecticut vs New Hampshire

On a $95,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $59,476 a year in Connecticut and $47,672 in New Hampshire if you rent: $11,804 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $74,342 and $66,035 ($8,307 less).

Your yearly budget, before vs after
Yearly costs on a $95,000 salary in Connecticut and New Hampshire; change is New Hampshire minus Connecticut
Yearly costCTNHChange
Income and payroll taxes
on $95,000, single filer
$24,488$19,338-$5,150
Electricity
state average bill
$2,396$1,738-$658
Car insurance
one car, state average
$1,394$987-$407
Gas
12,000 miles at 25 mpg
$2,158$2,101-$57
Health insurance
one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies
$10,440$4,812-$5,628
If you rent
Rent
median, 12 months
$18,600$18,696+$96
Total if you rent$59,476$47,672-$11,804
If you buy the median home (20% down)
Mortgage payment
median home, 20% down, 6.95%
$25,222$29,155+$3,933
Property tax
median home
$6,573$6,707+$134
Homeowners insurance
state median, with a mortgage
$1,671$1,197-$474
Total if you buy$74,342$66,035-$8,307

Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).

State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.

Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.

Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $18,492 a year in Connecticut and $16,040 in New Hampshire (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).

Cost of living in New Hampshire cities: Manchester.

After you arrive in New Hampshire

Frequently asked questions

How much salary do I need in New Hampshire to live like I do in Connecticut?

A $95,000 salary in Connecticut works out to about $88,300 in New Hampshire once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $92,800.

Will I pay less tax in New Hampshire than in Connecticut?

Yes, about $5,150 less a year in income and payroll taxes on a $95,000 salary (25.8% of pay in Connecticut vs 20.4% in New Hampshire). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.

How much does it cost to move from Connecticut to New Hampshire?

For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 160 miles, expect roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a moving container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers.

Are more people moving from Connecticut to New Hampshire?

Moves from Connecticut to New Hampshire peaked in 2020–21 at 1,034 households, then fell 9% by 2022–23. That is still up 0% from 2018–19.

How many people move from Connecticut to New Hampshire?

IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 937 households (1,447 people) moved from Connecticut to New Hampshire, making New Hampshire the #13 destination for people leaving Connecticut. 611 households moved the other way.

Is New Hampshire cheaper than Connecticut?

Overall prices in New Hampshire are 0.6% higher than Connecticut (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,558 vs $1,550 a month.

Compare other moves

Where people from Connecticut actually move

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