City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 3.4% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $103,400 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 $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Fresno, CA to Manchester, NH ($106,973 → $120,548), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.0% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,425 in Manchester | $96,688 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
58 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Manchester, NH | Real change, Fresno → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $69,905 | +9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $84,579 | +9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $101,375 | +9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $120,548 | +9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $142,452 | +9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $73,380 | $70,950 (−10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $162,090 | $156,722 (+21.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $83,660 | $80,889 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $98,600 | $95,335 (−24.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.