City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 2.0% higher than in Chicago, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Chicago, IL would need about $102,000 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL and $1,552 in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Chicago, IL to Manchester, NH ($118,984 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,990 in Manchester | $98,048 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Manchester, NH
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
63 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Chicago, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Manchester, NH | Real change, Chicago → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $69,905 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $84,579 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $101,375 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $120,548 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $142,452 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $73,380 | $71,948 (−8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $162,090 | $158,927 (+18.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $83,660 | $82,027 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $98,600 | $96,676 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.