Data Analyst in Lebanon, NH

The Salary Picture: Where Lebanon Stands

As a local who’s watched the Upper Valley job market for over a decade, I can tell you that data analyst roles in Lebanon are a unique proposition. The city sits at the intersection of rural New England and a surprisingly robust healthcare and tech economy, and the compensation reflects that. The median salary for a data analyst in Lebanon is $85,610/year, which translates to an hourly rate of $41.16. This is slightly above the national average, which sits at $83,360/year. It’s a strong local number, but context is everything.

The job market here is small but specialized. With only 29 jobs currently listed in the metro area, competition for the best roles is real, but so is the potential for impact. The 10-year job growth projection is 36%, a figure that outpaces the national average and signals a growing demand for data-savvy professionals, particularly in the region’s dominant sectors: healthcare, education, and advanced manufacturing.

Breaking it down by experience level, you get a clearer picture of the local ladder:

Experience Level	Typical Salary Range (Lebanon, NH)	Local Context & Notes
Entry-Level (0-2 yrs)	$65,000 - $75,000	Often found in hospital admin, local govt., or smaller tech firms. A master's can start you higher.
Mid-Level (3-6 yrs)	$80,000 - $95,000	The sweet spot. You'll find these roles at D-H, local insurers, and Dartmouth College.
Senior-Level (7-12 yrs)	$95,000 - $115,000	Leads teams, manages complex projects. Heavy in healthcare analytics and operational research.
Expert/Lead (12+ yrs)	$115,000+	Typically in management, specialized roles (e.g., bioinformatics), or consulting for the major players.

How does this compare to other NH cities? Surprisingly well. While Nashua and Manchester have more total jobs, their cost of living is also higher. Concord, the state capital, can be competitive but often pays slightly less than the Upper Valley. The $85,610 median in Lebanon is competitive because it's buoyed by a high concentration of well-funded institutions (Dartmouth, D-H) that pay at or above market rate.

Insider Tip: Don’t just look at the base number. The $41.16/hour rate is a solid benchmark. When you get an offer, calculate the total compensation package. In Lebanon, benefits—especially at the hospital and college—are often exceptional and can add 25-30% in value (health insurance, retirement matches, tuition assistance).

The Real Take-Home: After Taxes and Rent

Let’s get brutally practical. A salary of $85,610/year sounds great, but what does it mean for your bank account in Lebanon?

First, the math on take-home pay. For 2023, a single filer in New Hampshire (which has no state income tax on wages) would pay approximately:

• Federal Income Tax (including FICA): ~$17,700/year
• Take-Home Pay: ~$67,910/year or $5,659/month

Now, factor in the dominant local cost: housing. The average one-bedroom rent is $1,471/month. Let’s build a realistic monthly budget for a Data Analyst earning the median salary:

Monthly Budget Breakdown (Take-Home: ~$5,659)

Category	Estimated Cost	Notes & Local Reality
Rent (1BR)	$1,471	This is the area average. A newer apartment near DHMC might be more, an older one in West Lebanon less.
Utilities	$180	Includes electric, heat (oil/gas can be seasonal), internet (Comcast/Xfinity is primary).
Groceries	$400	Lebanon has a good Shaw's and a Hannaford. It's comparable to national averages.
Car/Transport	$400	Essential. Lebanon is walkable in downtown but most commutes require a car. Includes gas, insurance, maintenance.
Healthcare	$200	If not fully covered by employer. D-H and Dartmouth typically offer excellent plans.
Misc/Personal	$500	Dining out, hobbies, entertainment (movies at the Nugget Theatre, hiking Mt. Moosilauke).
Savings/Debt	$2,508	The remainder for student loans, IRA, 401k, or general savings.

This budget is tight but manageable. The key variable is rent. If you can find a room in a shared house or a slightly older building, you can free up $300-$500/month, significantly boosting your savings rate.

Can they afford to buy a home? This is the big question. The median home price in the Lebanon area is around $425,000. With a 20% down payment ($85,000), a 30-year mortgage at 6.5% would mean a monthly payment of roughly $2,160 (including taxes and insurance). That’s a jump from $1,471 in rent. While the $85,610 salary supports this, it would consume over 50% of your take-home pay on housing alone, leaving little room for savings or other expenses. It’s feasible with a dual-income household but challenging for a single person on this median salary. Most analysts I know rent for the first few years while building savings.

Where the Jobs Are: Lebanon's Major Employers

The job market here is dominated by a few key sectors. You won't find a sprawling tech park; you'll find world-class institutions embedded in a small-town setting.

1. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC): The 800-lb gorilla. DHMC is one of the largest employers in New Hampshire. They have a massive need for data analysts in population health, clinical research, operational efficiency, and finance. Hiring trends show a move toward predictive analytics for patient outcomes. Insider Tip: Look for roles in the "Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice" or within specific departments like Orthopedics or Oncology.

2. Dartmouth College: The other pillar. The college needs analysts for institutional research, admissions data, fundraising analytics, and academic support. The culture is more academic than corporate. Stability is high, and the benefits, including tuition remission, are legendary. Hiring is steady but often timed with the academic calendar (hiring for fall is common).

3. Hypertherm: A global leader in industrial plasma cutting technology, headquartered in nearby Hanover and with facilities in Lebanon. This is a pivot for many analysts—a move from healthcare to advanced manufacturing. They need analysts for supply chain, quality control, and R&D data. The culture is engineering-driven and innovative.

4. Local Government & Non-Profits: The City of Lebanon, the Lebanon School District, and organizations like the Upper Valley Haven often hire analysts for grant reporting, budget forecasting, and community data analysis. These roles are less frequent but offer a chance to work directly on community impact. Pay is typically on the lower side of the scale ($65k-$80k).

5. Insurance & Financial Services: Companies like MetLife (with a major presence in the region) and smaller firms need analysts for actuarial support, risk assessment, and customer analytics. These roles are competitive and often require specific industry knowledge.

Hiring Trends: The trend is toward specialization. A generalist analyst will find work, but one with experience in healthcare (EHR data, clinical trials), education, or advanced manufacturing will have a distinct advantage. The growth in the 36% projection is directly tied to these sectors scaling their data operations.

Getting Licensed in NH

New Hampshire is a "right-to-work" state, and there is no state-specific license required to practice as a data analyst. This is a significant advantage. Your qualifications are your portfolio, your experience, and your skills.

However, there are important considerations:

• Professional Certifications: While not legally required, certifications are de facto licenses for competitiveness. The most valued in the Upper Valley are:
  • Certified Analytics Professional (CAP): Broad, respected.
  • Google Data Analytics Certificate: Excellent for entry-level.
  • Specific Tool Certifications: Tableau, Power BI, or AWS/Azure data certifications. DHMC, for instance, is a heavy Microsoft shop (Power BI, Azure).
• Industry-Specific Knowledge: If you're targeting healthcare, understanding HIPAA is non-negotiable. A course in healthcare data compliance is a good investment. For education, FERPA knowledge is key.
• Cost & Timeline: The cost is variable. A Google certificate can be done online for under $50/month. A CAP exam fee is ~$695 for members, $895 for non-members. The timeline is self-paced: you can be job-ready with a strong portfolio in 3-6 months of dedicated study, or you can pursue advanced certifications over a year or two while working.

Bottom Line: No state license, but the local market rewards specialization. Your "license" here is a GitHub portfolio with projects relevant to Lebanon's key industries.

Best Neighborhoods for Data Analysts

Choosing where to live in the Lebanon area is about balancing commute, cost, and lifestyle. The city is small, but the character changes block by block.

1. Downtown Lebanon: The heart of the action. You're walking distance to the Upper Valley Co-op, the Nugget Theatre, and a dozen restaurants. Commute to DHMC or Dartmouth is a 5-10 minute drive. It's the most urban feel you'll get. Rent Estimate: $1,550 - $1,800/month for a 1BR. High demand, limited parking.
2. West Lebanon: The commercial hub. Home to the Shaw's plaza, auto dealerships, and more chain stores. More affordable and has a wider variety of apartment complexes and single-family homes. Commute is still easy (5-15 mins). Rent Estimate: $1,300 - $1,550/month for a 1BR. More car-dependent.
3. Hanover, NH: Technically a separate town, but the economic sister. Home to Dartmouth's main campus. It's walkable, bikeable, and has a vibrant, intellectual vibe. The downside? It's expensive. Rents are higher, and competition is fierce. Rent Estimate: $1,700 - $2,200/month for a 1BR. Commute to DHMC (in Lebanon) is 10-15 minutes.
4. The "Rim" (Enfield, NH / White River Junction, VT): If you want more space and don't mind a 15-20 minute commute. White River Junction (VT) has a cool, gritty arts scene and a lower cost of living. Enfield is more suburban/rural. You get more house for your money. Rent Estimate: $1,100 - $1,400/month for a 1BR or a small house. Insider Tip: Check the commute to Lebanon in winter. I-91 can get snowy, but it's a well-maintained corridor.
5. Etna/Mascoma: The quiet, rural option. Small villages with a strong community feel. You'll need a car for everything, but you'll be surrounded by farms and forests. The commute to Lebanon is about 15 minutes. Rent Estimate: Harder to find apartments; more common to rent a room in a house or a small single-family home for $1,200 - $1,600/month.

The Long Game: Career Growth

Lebanon is not a place for fast, job-hopping career ladders. It's a place for deep, specialized growth. The 36% job growth will likely manifest as increased demand for niche expertise, not a flood of generalist roles.

• Specialty Premiums: The highest pay bumps in Lebanon come from specialization.
  • Healthcare Informatics: Analysts who can bridge clinical and data worlds command a 15-20% premium.
  • Bioinformatics: With the presence of Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine and research institutes, this is a high-value, niche field.
  • Supply Chain Analytics: Critical for Hypertherm and other regional manufacturers.
• Advancement Paths: The typical path isn't jumping to a new company every two years. It's growing within an institution. An analyst at DHMC might move from a departmental role to a center for population health. At Dartmouth, from admissions to institutional research. The growth is vertical and lateral within the ecosystem.
• 10-Year Outlook: The 36% growth is promising. Expect more remote/hybrid roles to appear, but local jobs will remain focused on the industries that support the area's economy. The key will be adaptability. Analysts who can learn new tools (like AI/ML for predictive modeling) will thrive. The risk is over-specialization in a declining sector; the opportunity is becoming the go-to expert in a growing one (like health tech analytics).

The Verdict: Is Lebanon Right for You?

Lebanon is a fantastic place for a data analyst who values quality of life over a high-pressure corporate environment. It’s for the person who wants to see the direct impact of their work in their community, who enjoys the outdoors, and who doesn't need a big-city nightlife.

Pros	Cons
Strong, stable employers (D-H, Dartmouth) with excellent benefits.	Small, competitive job market (only 29 roles). A layoff can be stressful.
Above-average median salary ($85,610) with a low cost of living relative to major metros.	Car-dependent. Public transport is limited.
Unbeatable quality of life: World-class hiking, skiing, and a tight-knit community.	"Small town" feel. Limited diversity and cultural options compared to a city.
No state income tax on wages.	High housing costs for a rural area. The $1,471 rent is a significant portion of income.
10-year job growth of 36% signals a healthy future.	Socially homogenous. Can be harder for outsiders to integrate quickly.

Final Recommendation: If you're a mid-career analyst with 3-7 years of experience, especially in healthcare, education, or tech, Lebanon is a compelling choice. You can afford a comfortable life, save for a future home, and build a meaningful career. For entry-level analysts, it's a tougher sell unless you have a local connection or a strong, specialized portfolio. For experts, it's a niche market but can be highly rewarding if you find the right institutional fit.

FAQs

Q: Is it hard to find a job as a Data Analyst in Lebanon without a local connection?
A: It can be, but it's not impossible. The market is small, so applying cold is less effective. Your best bet is to tailor your resume to the specific industries here (healthcare, education, manufacturing) and use LinkedIn to connect with current analysts at DHMC or Dartmouth. A well-crafted portfolio with projects that speak to local challenges will stand out.

Q: How does the winter weather affect remote/hybrid work in Lebanon?
A: Most local employers (especially DHMC and Dartmouth) are now comfortable with hybrid schedules. However, in-person collaboration is still valued. Winters are real—you'll need a reliable car with good snow tires. The upside? Remote work during a snow day is a local pleasure.

Q: What's the best way to network locally?
A: Join the Upper Valley Data & Analytics Meetup (if active) or the NH Tech Alliance events. Attend talks at Dartmouth's computer science department (they're often open to the public). The local business community is small; showing up consistently matters.

Q: Is the $85,610 salary enough to live comfortably and save?
A: Yes, if you're mindful of rent. With the average 1BR at $1,471, you can live comfortably, save, and enjoy the area's amenities. However, buying a home on a single income of $85,610 is challenging without a significant down payment or a partner's income.

Q: What's the single biggest advantage of working in Lebanon as a Data Analyst?
A: The ability to have a high-impact career without sacrificing your quality of life. You're not a cog in a giant machine; your work directly affects patient care at a world-class hospital or student outcomes at an Ivy League college. And when you log off, you're minutes from some of the best hiking and skiing in New England.