The Golden Age of Manchester

“There’s a lot of money coming into Manchester. A lot of investors are coming in and tearing down buildings and rebuilding them,” says MacDonald. On the main commercial strip of Elm Street, “there are a lot of good restaurants coming in. It’s got a lot of nice bars moving in.”

That competition from out-of-state buyers made it more difficult for Manley to secure a home in the city. It took eight months before she closed on a three-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom house built in the late 1800s with “a cute little sunroom in the front,” says Manley.

“I love it. I love Manchester, the people, the community, the shopping,” says Manley. Her long search was ultimately worth it. “The house I ended up with is absolutely perfect for me.”

Manchester offers more than just affordable homes for sale

Manchester is also home to several schools, including the University of New Hampshire at Manchester and Southern New Hampshire University. Residents can take in shows at The Palace Theatre or the SNHU Arena or boat or fish in Lake Massabesic.

There are also plenty of jobs in the area. The unemployment rate was 2.5% in January—significantly lower than the 3.7% national rate in the same month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This helped boost the median household income in the city. It was $74,040 between 2018 and 2022, just under the national of $75,149, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manchester also boasts some strong comedic chops. Famous residents include Adam Sandler, who graduated from Manchester Central High School in 1984; Sarah Silverman, who graduated from Derryfield School in 1989; and Seth Myers, who graduated from Manchester High School West in 1992.

The two brothers who founded the fast-food chain McDonalds, Richard and Maurice McDonald, were also born in the city.

However, the city has had its struggles.

In the 1830s, the Amoskeag Co. developed the city’s textile mills, which boomed in the early 1910s, according to Jeffrey Barraclough, executive director of the Manchester Historic Association.

The company struggled a decade later and closed in the 1930s. New companies took over the mills, but the city was hurt again in the 1970s and 1980s when many manufacturing jobs disappeared or moved overseas.

More recently, Manchester received a C-minus rating for crime and safety on the website Niche.

“People viewed Manchester negatively in the past because it had higher crime rates,” says MacDonald. “But because of that, property values have been low—really low.”

Those lower property values aren’t so low anymore, though, as the city’s housing market continues to bask in the national spotlight. -shared from realtor.com