Paterson, NJ vs Nashua, NH: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Nashua, NH has a modeled overall cost index 27.4% higher than Paterson, NJ.

Paterson, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $1,980 / month
Nashua, NH · modeled 2BR rent: $2,240 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Paterson, NJ and Nashua, NH using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Paterson, NJ

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,750/month in Nashua, NH

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $170,997 in Nashua, NH

Regional cost estimates: Paterson, NJ uses Newark, NJ. Nashua, NH uses Boston, MA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 27.4%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,750

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$21.0K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Paterson, NJ

Population:156K

Cost Index:

108.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$532K

Nashua, NH

Population:91K

Cost Index:

137.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$452K

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Paterson, NJ

The Garden State

156K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 156K residents.

Nashua, NH

The Live Free or Die State

91K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in New Hampshire, this city has a population of 91K residents.

💡 Advantage: New Hampshire has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Paterson, NJ vs Nashua, NH

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Paterson, NJ	Nashua, NH	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,051/mo	$3,976/mo	↑ $1,925more	93.9%
Other	$1,838/mo	$1,528/mo	↓ $310less	16.8%
All Utilities	$540/mo	$624/mo	↑ $83.59more	15.5%
Transportation	$1,450/mo	$1,533/mo	↑ $83.00more	5.7%
Groceries	$997/mo	$941/mo	↓ $56.52less	5.7%
Healthcare	$624/mo	$648/mo	↑ $24.14more	3.9%

Housing

↑ 93.9%

Paterson, NJ

$2,051

Nashua, NH

$3,976

Difference

$1,925

Other

↓ 16.8%

Paterson, NJ

$1,838

Nashua, NH

$1,528

Difference

$310

less

All Utilities

↑ 15.5%

Paterson, NJ

$540

Nashua, NH

$624

Difference

$83.59

Transportation

↑ 5.7%

Paterson, NJ

$1,450

Nashua, NH

$1,533

Difference

$83.00

Groceries

↓ 5.7%

Paterson, NJ

$997

Nashua, NH

$941

Difference

$56.52

less

Healthcare

↑ 3.9%

Paterson, NJ

$624

Nashua, NH

$648

Difference

$24.14

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,510

To$1,540

↑ $30.00

1 Bed

From$1,720

To$1,760

↑ $40.00

2 Bed

From$1,980

To$2,240

↑ $260

3 Bed

From$2,420

To$2,970

↑ $550

Paterson, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,410–$1,860/mo

Nashua, NHZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,630–$1,830/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Paterson, NJ

$9,250

Monthly in Nashua, NH

$1,750

Difference

Home Values

Paterson

Nashua

$532K

Median Value

$452K

↑ +3.7%

YoY Change

↑ +3.3%

↑ +44.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +49%

$469K - $567K

Price Range

$449K - $528K

Homes in Nashua are 15% less expensive than Paterson

Calculate payment - Paterson Calculate payment - Nashua

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $7.4K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$619

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.0%

Rate difference

Paterson, NJ

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Jersey State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,796/month

$105.6K

Nashua, NH

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Hampshire State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Paterson, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

Nashua, NH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:1.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Paterson

Nashua

N/A

Air Quality

36 Good

Good Air Days

79.5%

98 High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

6 days

Before moving from Paterson, NJ to Nashua, NH

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Nashua, NH for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Paterson, NJ. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Paterson to Nashua moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Nashua, NH by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Paterson, NJ vs Nashua, NH

How do the cost estimates for Paterson, NJ and Nashua, NH compare?

Nashua, NH has a modeled overall cost index 27.4% higher than Paterson, NJ. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Paterson, NJ, the model estimates $170,997 in Nashua, NH. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Paterson, NJ and Nashua, NH?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,980/month in Paterson, NJ and $2,240/month in Nashua, NH. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between New Jersey and New Hampshire on TaxTakeHome.com