Manchester Named Third Best-Run City in the U.S. by WalletHub

MANCHESTER, NH - Manchester has been named the third best-run city by WalletHub.  The Queen City scored the designation when the personal finance website recently released its Best & Worst-Run Cities in America report for 2025 – a jump from 18th place in 2024.

Commenting on the selection, Mayor Jay Ruais said, “I am honored we have received this designation as the third best-run city in the U.S. It’s a real testament to the dedication of our residents, aldermen, department heads, business leaders, and developers. We are all working towards making Manchester the best mid-sized city in the country. Additionally, the public safety factor in the city continues to impress with dramatic declines in overdoses and fatal overdoses as well as a 15% reduction in overall crime. I give tremendous credit to our first responders for leading the way with this turnaround. Our affordable housing situation also continues to improve with hundreds of units being developed and brought on line all across the city. Manchester is thriving and WalletHub’s ranking is an excellent reflection of a city on the grow.”      

Scoring a pool of 148 cities, WalletHub used data across six categories: financial stability, education, health, safety, economy, as well as infrastructure and pollution. This data was used to create a “Quality of City Services” score, which is a result of combining those metrics, and then compared to the City’s total budget per capita to determine a city’s overall ranking. 

The City of Manchester ranks seventh-highest in the forecasted one-year change in median home value, with the overall economy also propelling the City towards the top, boasting the 15th-lowest unemployment rate among the cities scored.

The Manchester economy was ranked eighth in a category based on several factors, including unemployment, annual job growth rate, growth in the number of businesses, and changes in housing prices. Ranked 15th overall for safety, WalletHub used markers including crime rates and perception of safety, also ranking 15th lowest for property crime rates.

Manchester’s landing in the top three overall also includes the city’s approach to infrastructure and pollution, placing it as the seventh-lowest in air pollution.

This news comes on the heels of Livability ranking Manchester as one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live for the second consecutive year. The City secured a spot on the list due to its high-scoring amenities, education, and low cost of living. WalletHub ranks Manchester as having the seventh-smallest traffic congestion, a fact supported by Livability, which calculated that the average commute time for residents of Manchester is under 20 minutes. 

Livability again scored Manchester as providing top amenities, including a variety of activities to suit different interests, access to diverse events, and a vibrant restaurant scene. Tax rates, rental and homeownership affordability also influenced Manchester’s ranking in the top 100 in the cost-of-living category. 

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Mayor Jay Ruais’ Response to Education Funding for Manchester in the budget passed by the Committee of Conference

MANCHESTER, NH – Mayor Jay Ruais released the following statement today:

“I recognize the difficult nature of this budget cycle, and appreciate the need to equitably distribute education dollars across the entire state. I'd like to provide some important background information on our School District Budget here in Manchester. 

In the FY26 budget the Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed on June 3rd, we included $127,818,908 in State Adequacy Education Dollars. 

According to the State Senate’s numbers, when the school budget is built next year, the District will need to include $115,247,161 for State Adequacy Education Dollars. 

That is a cut of $12,571,747 to the School District with the highest enrollment and the students and families with the greatest needs.

To be clear, our enrollment is no longer in decline. This year in fact, we leveled off. As you know, like most entities, the majority of our dollars are spent on salaries and benefits. This year, we reduced the Manchester School District’s budget request by $8 million, while still allocating an additional $3.5 million. 

As a result of our own belt tightening, we eliminated 28 funded vacancies, among other cost saving measures, saving millions of dollars. There are no more vacant positions like this to eliminate.

Contractually, we are legally obligated to meet previous commitments made, and while we can build a plan to further reduce spending, there is no plan that does not include eliminating teachers.

The bottom line is, for every million dollars in reductions, we can anticipate having to eliminate 15-17 positions. Assuming no other cost saving measures, a reduction like this would result in the elimination of between 150-200 positions. 

The City of Manchester stands ready to work with the Legislature to ensure we are meeting the needs of our students and families.”

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Board of Mayor and Aldermen approve City Budget for FY26

New spending plan passes overwhelmingly

Supports roads, first responders, city employees while putting taxpayers first

MANCHESTER, NH – In an overwhelming vote, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed the city budget Tuesday night. When including the General Fund, Transit, Overlay and Veterans Exemptions, total expenditures are $201.36 million. For the second year in a row, this budget comes further under the tax cap than any previous tax cap budget. Highlights include support for roads, first responders, and essential services, while putting our taxpayers first.

“Budgets are about making tough choices, reaching compromise and finding balance. Every budget presents unique challenges, but covering essential services in a cost-effective manner is always the goal. That is exactly what our new budget for FY26 delivers,” said Mayor Jay Ruais. “This is a reality-based budget, it supports our roads, first responders, and delivers essential services while protecting taxpayers. It also enshrines our new fiscally responsible compensation study, bringing our city employees and all of those whose contracts were up, to market rate pay which will help tremendously with retention and recruitment as well as less overtime costs. This means better service delivery for our city residents. The conversation in City Hall is squarely focused on how few dollars we can spend, without crossing that red line into cutting essential services”

Appropriations for FY26 on the city side total $201.36 million. The previously passed budget for the Manchester School District came in at $237.9 million. Over the last two fiscal years, the Manchester School District has seen an increase of $11 million between local and state funds, while at the same time, their requests have been reduced by $12.2 million.

Ruais concluded saying, “We started the budget process back in January. I want to thank all of the aldermen who had a hand in the process, especially Aldermen Pat Long, Jim Burkush and Bill Barry for leading the effort on the Aldermanic side. They helped build a successful consensus through collaboration and compromise. We could not have reached this point without their efforts.”

The Mayor offered the following highlights for the FY26 budget:

• Comes 1.82% under the Tax Cap set at 4.27%
• $7 million for road improvements
• $1.2 million increase to Manchester Police Department
• $1.16 Million in HOME Funds to finalize Pearl Street Lot project and bring 125 units of  Affordable Housing to city
• Includes $1 million in savings
• Rejects over $900,000 in spending requests that would have increased the tax rate
• $300,000 to retrofit city playgrounds, $300,000 toward paving parks, $250,000 in deferred maintenance for parks and $150,000 in park lighting.
• $500,000 for sidewalk repairs and expansion
• Through the Federal Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) Funds:
  • $41,000 to Meals on Wheels
  • $10,000 to Office of Youth Services Summer Youth Programs
  • $9,000 to Child Advocacy Center
  • $9,000 to Big Brothers and Sisters
  • $14,500 to CASA
  • $25,000 to Easterseals
  • $9,700 to Girls Inc.
  • $10,000 to Salvation Army

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Board of Mayor and Aldermen approve second sale of vacant city lots

Money raised from 3 combined parcels will be dedicated to affordable housing

MANCHESTER, NH – Mayor Jay Ruais today announced a second round of surplus properties will be sold to benefit the city’s affordable housing trust fund. This latest initiative follows the successful auction of 15 vacant lots in May of 2024 that generated $1.13 million. The Board of Mayor and Alderman agreed to combine three vacant lots at the May 20^th meeting - the first on Smyth Road measuring .70 acres, with the other two lots located on Sheffield Road for a combined 41 acres.

Mayor Ruais said, “I hear constantly from residents, businesses and others that affordable housing is the top issue in Manchester right now so bringing more units online has been a top priority since day one. But to accomplish this, we needed to be creative and that is exactly what these vacant lot sales are all about. The fact that 100% of the net proceeds are transferred to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund is a true game changer.”

He added, “We conducted the inaugural vacant lot sales through a first of its kind auction last year. It was a tremendous success, generating over $1 million dollars for affordable housing in Manchester. We learned a lot too. The second round will be carried out using a broker. This made more sense given the size of the newly created lot is almost 42 acres and it will likely draw interest from developers, instead of the individual buyers who dominated the first round. But whether it’s by auction, or with the help of a broker, the bottom line regarding these vacant lots is the same – we are making our lots available for new housing, raising significant funds for new housing and returning the land to the city’s tax roll all at the same time.”

City Tax Collector Brenda Masewic Adams is equally supportive of the second round of sales saying, “The additional capital into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund will allow the City to have a more robust funding to help improve the housing market, giving adults and families the opportunity to work, stay and play in Manchester.”

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Mayor Ruais announces departure of City’s HR Director Lisa Drabik

Tenure highlighted by generational compensation study and 11 new union contracts

MANCHESTER, NH – Mayor Jay Ruais announced today that the city’s Director of Human Resources, Lisa Drabik, will be returning to her hometown to lead the HR department for the Town of Londonderry’s School District. During her tenure, Drabik was instrumental in spearheading the recent compensation study that brought city employee wages to market rates and successfully negotiated 11 new contracts with city unions.

Commenting on Director Drabik’s departure, Ruais said, “Lisa’s contribution to Manchester cannot be understated. Besides running the HR department that covers 1,200 city employees and assists hundreds of retirees, she successfully led the compensation study that brought our employees’ wages to market rates and re-negotiated 11 union contracts that were set to expire, both of which are challenging tasks. Lisa’s dedication has ensured that the city is better able to retain our seasoned employees as well as recruit new ones.”

“Heading human resources is a tough job because professionals like Lisa regularly deal with difficult conversations, complex situations, and ever-changing laws and regulations, all while striving to maintain a positive and productive work environment,” said Ruais, “I’m delighted to say she succeeded in all the above. I have deeply appreciated her wisdom, strategic advice, and guidance. Lisa will be truly missed.”    

In her letter of resignation to the Board of Mayor and Alderman, Drabik wrote, “It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the City’s human resources function for the last few years. Soon after my arrival in 2022, we embarked upon an exhaustive City-wide Classification and Compensation Study. I am proud to say the study resulted in a newly-modernized pay plan with market-competitive pay rates designed to position the City well into the future and to enhance the retention and recruitment of the City’s most valuable assets – its people.”  She added, “We also strengthened the benefit offerings for our employees, updated and streamlined several City policies and ordinances, implemented a new HRIS system (MUNIS), decreased the rate of acceleration in health care costs, and successfully negotiated 11 of 13 expiring union contracts.”

Drabik also thanked the BMA for its support over her tenure and the city’s “stellar” group of department heads, saying, “not only are they all subject matter experts in their fields, but they are a true joy to work with and the City is fortunate to have each and every one of them.”  Drabik paid tribute to her staff in the HR Department who work tirelessly and relentlessly to serve the needs of the city workforce and its retirees. She ended by thanking the City employees as a whole, saying “Their dedication to the very important work they do for the City is inspiring, and it has been a sincere pleasure to work with, and for them.”

Mayor Ruais thanks Director Drabik for agreeing to remain in her role throughout the first week in July to ensure a successful implementation of the new wage scale which takes effect on July 1.

The search for Drabik’s replacement will begin immediately. City Solicitor Emily Rice will serve as her replacement in the interim.

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Manchester Fire Dept. gifts SUV to HOPE for NH Recovery

“HOPE Car” to help individuals living with substance use disorder access recovery services

MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester Fire Department on Monday gifted an SUV that had finished its lifecycle with the department to HOPE for NH Recovery.  The “HOPE Car” will start a new life aiding in the transport of those individuals in the city living with substance use disorder and seeking recovery services, something the non-profit has been needing to enhance its mission.

Standing next to the HOPE Car in a bay at the Central Fire Station on Merrimack Street surrounded by fire department officials and HOPE team members, Mayor Jay Ruais said, “This gift exemplifies who we are as a city. We identified a need, offered solutions, then worked closely with our community partners to solve a problem. HOPE for NH Recovery is one of those strong partners doing amazing work. We’ve seen overdose and fatal overdose numbers dropping dramatically in Manchester over the past two years.  And, that only happens through collaborative efforts between groups like HOPE and our fire department’s Squad One. They’re on our streets every day saving lives.  I am confident the HOPE Car will make a difference in in their ability to expand their efforts and success.”

Fire Chief Ryan Cashin echoed the mayor’s sentiments saying,” The Manchester Fire Department is proud to support the ongoing relationship between HOPE for NH Recovery and the City of Manchester. Hope is a vital resource to the city, and the Fire Department will continue to support this amazing organization in any way possible.”

He added, “After several meetings with the team at HOPE, Executive Director Randy Stevens kept coming back to how a vehicle would be a game changer. Addiction is an insidious disease, and the ability to move someone in the window where they want help is invaluable.” 

Cashin credited the Fire Department’s Grant team for identifying funds to replace one of the city’s aging emergency management vehicles, which allowed the city to donate the SUV at no cost to our taxpayers. “This is a triple win, as a valuable non-profit resource was able to increase its ability to work in the community at no cost to the city while maintaining the same level of service at the fire department. I am hopeful that as the city continues to find ways to partner with organizations like HOPE, we can build on this success,” he said. 

Chief Cashin also gave special thanks to retired MFD Lt. Hank Balch, from Green Bear signs, who donated the signature lettering on the HOPE Car, the fire department’s grant team members Assistant Chiefs Lamothe, Flurey, and Guay, along with Melissa Paulhamus, and Emergency Management Coordinator Dan Stowers for identifying grant funds for this project.

Randy Stevens, executive director of HOPE for NH Recovery, put the HOPE Car in perspective.  “It’s incredible to be here with the support of the city behind us.  We can now pick people up and get them to treatment and out of that unstuck place,” he said. “It is a tremendous opportunity for the people in this community who are suffering and vulnerable and need this kind of support. We so appreciate this collaborative relationship and hope to continue to build on it. We are incredibly grateful.”     

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Mayor Ruais Announces Launch of Age-Friendly City Planning Initiative
 Program aligns with AARP’s 8 Domains of Livability

MANCHESTER, NH – Mayor Jay Ruais today announced the launch of a city-wide Age-Friendly Planning process, an initiative designed to build a more inclusive, accessible, and livable community for residents of all ages, especially older adults.

Led by the City’s Health Department, in close collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, the planning process is grounded in the nationally-recognized AARP 8 Domains of Livability, which provides a comprehensive framework to help communities become more age-friendly. These domains include:

• Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
• Transportation
• Housing
• Social Participation
• Respect and Social Inclusion
• Work and Civic Engagement
• Communication and Information
• Community and Health Services

“Creating an age-friendly city means building a Manchester that works for everyone, from children and families to older adults and caregivers,” said Mayor Jay Ruais. “By aligning with AARP’s comprehensive livability framework, we are committing to long-term planning that enhances quality of life, improves public health, and strengthens our community.”

Approximately 21,000 Manchester residents are age 65 or older, with 60% of those individuals living in households earning less than $50,000 annually, highlighting the critical need for equitable and accessible city planning.

The Manchester Health Department will lead this initiative in partnership with local organizations, including Easterseals NH, The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, Waypoint, Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County, The Mary Gale Foundation, and the Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA).

In the coming weeks, the City will launch a robust community engagement campaign, including surveys, focus groups, and public forums, to gather meaningful input from residents about the challenges and opportunities they experience across Manchester.

“An age-friendly Manchester is a healthier, more connected, and more vibrant city,” said Anna Thomas, Manchester’s Public Health Director. “This initiative is an opportunity for residents to help shape the future of our neighborhoods, public spaces, and services to ensure they meet the evolving needs of our population.”

Community members are encouraged to participate in the planning process and stay informed through regular updates provided by the City of Manchester.

To participate in the Age-Friendly City resident survey, please visit:

 https://aarpresearch.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2aipUL32nyuDug6

or go to the Manchester Health Department website at www.manchesternh.gov/health

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Mayor announces major development project for closed Hallsville School

Historic property to become 30+ units of affordable housing on Jewett Street

MANCHESTER, NH – The Hallsville School has been closed since 2021, but Mayor Jay Ruais announced today the historic property on Jewett Street is getting a new life after the city reached an agreement that will turn the 134-year-old building into over 30 units of affordable housing.

   York Real Estate is the project’s developer and will purchase the school for $50,000. York is working with experienced architects, engineers and their legal team to improve the property and obtain the funding necessary to build the affordable housing units. The sale will become official when York is awarded funding from New Hampshire Housing and other sources, which could take up to two years. During that time, York’s team will work on permitting and design.

     “The Hallsville School has educated and touched generations,” said Mayor Jay Ruais, “Now its future is as bright as its past. This renovation is a big win not only for all the future tenants who will call the old school their new home, but for taxpayers as well because the property will be returned to the tax roll. Additionally, I want to thank the Aldermen who have worked diligently on this effort over the past five years to help ensure this historic property was put to the best use.”

   The City’s Director of Planning and Community Development, Jeff Belanger, is working closely with York on the project. He added, “The Hallsville School is a beautiful, historic building that we are excited to put to a new use. After Manchester’s children were educated there for more than 100 years, it will continue to serve the city by providing much-needed affordable housing.”

   Kyle York, Managing Partner at York Real Estate, put the uniqueness of the project in perspective saying, “We believe in preserving the character of our city while creating new opportunities for its future. Redeveloping the historic Hallsville School into affordable housing is helping to address one of the city’s most pressing needs. Transforming a shuttered building into a place where families can thrive, just like students in the neighborhood learned, grew and excelled for generations prior. We’re proud to contribute to a stronger, more inclusive community and are excited to see this project come together.”

Additional Background:

• The Hallsville School has been unoccupied since 2021, aside from use of the gym for community recreation. This has required the City to spend funds maintaining an underutilized building.

• The building would be fully renovated, but the historic façade would remain. The building was constructed in 1891, and it was important to the City that the beauty and history of the building continue. 

• The renovations to the old school building would create a mix of studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom units. 

• The site around the building would be improved, including new landscaping.

• The gym would continue to be available to Parks and Recreation for pickleball and other recreation. 

-END-

Media Contacts:

Mayor’s Office – Carole Alfano, calfano@manchesternh.gov

York Real Estate – Kyle York, kyle@york.ie

Board of Mayor and Aldermen OK School Budget and 10 City Union Contracts

$3.5 million added to MSD budget   

Open enrollment for city union employees will proceed with no disruptions

MANCHESTER, NH – Last night, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen reached agreement on two major agenda items, the school district budget for FY26 and 10 city union contracts. 

Regarding the District’s budget, the Mayor said, “I am deeply appreciative of the conversations I’ve had with our Aldermen as we’ve worked together to find a compromise solution regarding MSD’s budget for FY26. Over the last two fiscal years, between state and city dollars, the school district has received an additional $11 million, $4.5 million of which were city dollars, while at the same time $12.2 million in requests were denied. This is a thoughtful, balanced approach when it comes to finding the correct level of spending that meets the needs of our students, and our city while protecting taxpayers at the same time. The balance struck here is reflected in the overwhelming vote behind its passage. By agreeing to add $3.5 million in FY26, the District’s budget now stands at $238.4 million which represents a record level of funding from the city for the coming school year.”

With respect to the union contracts, Ruais credited the Aldermen, who passed these agreements by voice vote without opposition, along with Director of Human Resources Lisa Drabik, for successfully navigating the negotiation process for the city’s ten collective bargaining agreements up for renewal, saying, “The process we used to reach agreement on all ten contracts was substantial and open. It lasted several months, and the overall process included multiple public presentations. The input we received was invaluable. I believe we’ve created a new blueprint that will serve us well during future negotiations. These contracts are a win for city employees who will now be paid market-competitive rates, and a win for the taxpayer who will see improved service delivery with fewer vacancies at an affordable level.”

He added, “I applaud the Aldermen for suspending their rules in order to allow an early vote on the tentative union agreements so that open enrollment for those union members covered under the contracts can porceed in a timely manner with no distruptions.  Lastly, I want to thank the union representatives who worked tirelessly and collaboratively with the city to reach these critical agreements."

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Mayor Ruais announces Ward 3 Town Hall Meeting on May 5^th

MANCHESTER, NH – Mayor Jay Ruais today announced the following event:

WHAT:            Ward 3 Town Hall Meeting

WHEN:            Monday, May 5^th from 6:00pm to 7:00pm

WHERE:         Bishop O'Neil Youth Center, 30 South Elm Street   

Note:               The Aldermen and Board of School Committee Members representing Ward 3 have been invited.

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