← All States

New Hampshire

Low tax burden · COL index 114

Wins 10 categories

VS

California

High tax burden · COL index 142

Wins 2 categories

New Hampshire has no state income tax. California's top rate is 13.3%. Cost of living in California (index 142) runs 25% higher than New Hampshire (index 114). Property taxes are meaningfully different: New Hampshire averages 1.86% annually vs California's 0.71%. The median home in California costs $790K vs $440K in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire
California

Taxes

None
Income Tax (top rate)
13.3%
1.86%/yr
Property Tax Rate
0.71%/yr
None
Sales Tax (avg)
8.82%
Yes
Social Security Tax
Yes
Yes
Estate Tax
Yes
None
Capital Gains Tax
As income

Housing & Cost of Living

114
COL Index (100=avg)
142
$440K
Median Home Price
$790K
$1,750/mo
Median Rent (2BR/mo)
$2,300/mo
$950/yr
Home Insurance (avg/yr)
$2K/yr

Crime & Safety

167
Violent Crime / 100K
499
1,150
Property Crime / 100K
2,027

Healthcare

#6 of 50
Healthcare Quality Rank
#13 of 50
79.7 yrs
Life Expectancy
79.2 yrs
6.3%
Uninsured Rate
6.8%
Yes
Medicaid Expansion
Yes

Education

#5 of 50
K-12 Quality Rank
#20 of 50
Yes
School Choice / Vouchers
No

Childcare

$1,450/mo
Avg Infant Care / mo
$2,200/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

$190/mo
Avg Energy Bill / mo
$175/mo
$600/mo
Avg Groceries / mo
$620/mo
#21 of 50
Road Quality Rank
#49 of 50

Social Policy

F
Gun Laws Grade
A
D+2.0
2024 Presidential Margin
D+20.0

Category wins

10

New Hampshire

2

California

Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.

Score For My Profile →

People Also Ask

What are the pros and cons of living in NH?

What is a livable salary in NH?

Why are people moving to NH?

Is New Hampshire mostly Democrat or Republican?

The New Hampshire Republican Party has held a trifecta majority in state level government since 2017, with the exception of 2019 and 2020, while the Democratic Party has held a majority on federal level representation in Congress.

Full New Hampshire Profile →Full California Profile →

Your Priorities

Adjust and every page updates live

Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K
$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0
None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None
None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K
Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K
Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care
Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care
Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care
Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city
Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care
Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care
Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral
LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral
Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral
Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None
AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care
Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral
Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral
Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral
Singles sceneFamily community