New Hampshire's janitorial workforce earns a statewide mean and median hourly wage of $18.20 (BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 37-2011) — well above the national median of $17.27/hr — driven by proximity to the Boston metro labor market and a tight statewide labor supply. Despite having no state minimum wage law (defaulting to the federal $7.25/hr floor), New Hampshire's prevailing market wages sit nearly $11/hr above that floor, one of the largest floor-to-market gaps in the nation.
What employers should plan for
- Floor: $7.25/hr federal (FLSA). New Hampshire eliminated its state minimum wage statute in 2011; the federal rate governs for covered employers. No New Hampshire municipality has enacted a local minimum wage. Despite the low statutory floor, actual market rates start near $14–$15/hr given labor supply competition.
- Local floors: No city or county in New Hampshire has a local minimum wage ordinance. Manchester, Concord, and Nashua employers pay market-rate wages starting at $14–$16/hr.
- Loaded labor rate: Commercial cleaning bids in New Hampshire run approximately $28–$37/hr total loaded cost (base wage + payroll taxes + WC ~$2.00–$2.50/$100 estimated + benefits + overhead). Boston-adjacent Nashua/Manchester markets carry higher overhead.
- Workers' comp class 9014 — New Hampshire NCCI jurisdiction; estimated base rate approximately $2.00–$2.50/$100 payroll based on NCCI state advisory filings (NCCI proposed -6.1% decrease effective Jan 1, 2026, suggesting recent trend toward lower loss costs).
High-wage metros vs. low-wage metros
Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH MSA (NH portion — primarily Rockingham and Hillsborough County towns) dominates at a median $22.23/hr (10th: $17.08, 25th: $18.00, 75th: $23.17, 90th: $28.36), directly reflecting Boston-area union scale and premium commercial real estate rates. Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area surprises at median $19.27/hr (10th: $14.95, 75th: $23.76, 90th: $24.77), likely driven by resort/hospitality facility contracts in the White Mountains. On the lower end, Manchester-Nashua MSA posts median $17.54/hr (10th: $13.59, 75th: $20.44, 90th: $22.46) — still above the national median — and Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area runs median $17.70/hr (10th: $13.77, 75th: $20.30, 90th: $22.38).
Wage percentile distribution (BLS OEWS 2024)
- 10th percentile: $14.41/hr
- 25th percentile: $16.61/hr
- Median (50th): $18.20/hr
- 75th percentile: $21.75/hr
- 90th percentile: $23.84/hr
New Hampshire's distribution is tightly compressed relative to its elevated wage level — only a $9.43/hr spread from 10th to 90th. The 10th percentile at $14.41/hr is nearly double the federal minimum wage floor, confirming that market dynamics rather than legislation govern this labor market entirely. The relatively narrow 75th-to-90th spread ($2.09/hr) suggests a limited share of high-premium union contracts compared to larger Boston.
Union presence
SEIU 32BJ explicitly lists New Hampshire in its Northeast operating territory, covering property service workers from Maine to DC. Commercial cleaning in the Nashua/Manchester corridor — which functions as an extension of the Boston labor market — has estimated 10–20% union penetration in Class A commercial office buildings. SEIU 32BJ's Tri-State and Northeast contracts extend into NH-area buildings managed by large institutional landlords. Northern NH and rural markets are predominantly non-union. New Hampshire's moderate overall union density (9.2%) reflects both the SEIU commercial cleaning presence and strong public-sector AFSCME representation.
What this means for bid math
New Hampshire offers some of the highest janitorial wages among federal-floor states, driven by Boston metro influence and tight regional labor supply. Total loaded labor costs run $28–$37/hr (1.55–2.05× base), with Boston-adjacent markets at the upper end. The absence of a state minimum wage provides no relief; market wages start at $14–$16/hr even for entry-level positions. Nashua/Manchester contracts near Boston commuter-belt office parks should verify SEIU 32BJ master service agreement coverage before finalizing wage budgets. The Northern NH market, while surprisingly high-wage at the median, reflects seasonal resort patterns and should be modeled separately for year-round contracts.
Primary sources
- O*NET Local Wages — New Hampshire (BLS OEWS May 2024 data)
- SEIU 32BJ — About Us (New Hampshire in Northeast territory)
- DOL WHD State Minimum Wage Laws
- NCCI — New Hampshire Workers' Compensation State Advisory 2025
- Commercial Cleaning Licensing in New Hampshire →
- OSHA Compliance for Janitorial in New Hampshire →
- Workers' Comp Class 9014 in New Hampshire →