City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 15.5% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $115,500 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TN and $0 in NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +15.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Chattanooga, TN | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,518 in Manchester | $86,567 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Manchester, NH | Real change, Chattanooga → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $73,380 | $63,523 (+6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $162,090 | $140,316 (+31.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $83,660 | $72,422 (−5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $98,600 | $85,355 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.