City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 6.2% higher than in Jacksonville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Jacksonville, FL would need about $106,200 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 $1,382 in Jacksonville, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 21% in Jacksonville, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Jacksonville, FL to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.6% in real buying power.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
- 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
| Jacksonville, FL | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,205 in Manchester | $94,158 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
50 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jacksonville, FL 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 Jacksonville, FL to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Manchester, NH | Real change, Jacksonville → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $73,380 | $69,093 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $162,090 | $152,620 (+17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $83,660 | $78,772 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $98,600 | $92,839 (+11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.