City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 18.3% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $118,300 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 $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Columbus, GA to Manchester, NH ($112,556 → $120,548), while prices change by +18.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (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
| Columbus, GA | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,322 in Manchester | $84,515 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Manchester, NH | Real change, Columbus → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $69,905 | −9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $84,579 | −9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $101,375 | −9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $120,548 | −9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $142,452 | −9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $73,380 | $62,017 (+1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $162,090 | $136,990 (+17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $83,660 | $70,705 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $98,600 | $83,332 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.