City comparison
Boston, MA vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 2.5% higher than in Manchester, NH. Someone earning $100,000 in Manchester, NH would need about $102,500 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Manchester, NH.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,548 in either. A transfer from Boston, MA to Manchester, NH changes real buying power by +2.5%, purely from prices.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,590 in Manchester | $102,469 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Manchester, NH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
76 Strong offer
Manchester, NH → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Manchester, NH | Real change, Boston → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,905 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,579 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $101,375 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,548 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $142,452 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $73,380 | $75,192 (−23.3%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $162,090 | $166,093 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $83,660 | $85,726 (−14.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $98,600 | $101,035 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.