City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 12.8% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $112,800 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 $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Columbia, SC to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,807 in Manchester | $88,647 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC 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 Columbia, SC to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Manchester, NH | Real change, Columbia → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $73,380 | $65,049 (+8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $162,090 | $143,688 (+16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $83,660 | $74,162 (+7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $98,600 | $87,406 (+6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.