Manchester, NH named in Livability Top 100 Best Places to List
L
ivability.com unveiled its highly anticipated 2026 Top 100 Best Places to Live list, showcasing the nation’s most vibrant and livable small to mid-sized cities. This list, now in its 13th year of publication, empowers users to customize the set of places based on their individualized priorities, from health and cost of living to entertainment and the local job market.
Manchester, NH: Where Affordability Meets Opportunity
As communities across the country navigate rising costs and shifting economic conditions, Manchester, New Hampshire, stands out as a place where affordability and quality of life remain within reach. To ensure the list highlights truly accessible communities, Livability only includes cities with a median home value under $500,000. The selection process also features a rigorous analysis of average rents and home prices relative to local incomes to give affordable places a competitive edge. With housing options more attainable than in many major metropolitan areas, Manchester offers residents the opportunity to build a future, whether that means buying a first home, growing a business, or putting down long-term roots.
Livability.com partnered with the data experts at Applied Geographic Solutions (AGS) to analyze more than 2,000 U.S. cities with populations between 75,000 and 500,000. The ranking is curated using nearly 100 data points across eight broad categories:
- Economy
- Housing & Cost of Living
- Amenities
- Transportation
- Environment
- Safety
- Education
- Health
Manchester’s strength isn’t just anecdotal. It’s reflected across the very metrics that define thriving communities. When evaluated through key categories such as economy, housing, amenities, transportation, environment, safety, education, and health, Manchester consistently demonstrates its well-rounded appeal.
As the largest city in New Hampshire, Manchester offers the energy and opportunity of a mid-sized urban center while maintaining the accessibility and sense of community that smaller cities are known for. Its growing economy, diverse business base, and proximity to both the Seacoast and the White Mountains make it an ideal location for work and play.
About Livability.com:
Livability.com highlights the best small to mid-sized cities and what makes them great places to live, work and visit. Through exclusive research and original content, we examine affordability, cultural amenities, talent attraction and more, celebrating the accomplishments of cities through various rankings, our annual Top 100 Best Places to Live and articles exploring the who, what, why and how behind the “where.” Livability is a division of Journal Communications, Inc., based in Franklin, TN.
