City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 14.1% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $114,100 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 $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Fort Wayne, IN than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (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
| Fort Wayne, IN | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,135 in Manchester | $87,616 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne, IN to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Manchester, NH | Real change, Fort Wayne → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $73,380 | $64,292 (+7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $162,090 | $142,016 (+39.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $83,660 | $73,299 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $98,600 | $86,389 (+8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.