City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 14.2% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $114,200 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 $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.4% moving from Kansas City, MO to Manchester, NH ($108,173 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (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
| Kansas City, MO | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,171 in Manchester | $87,588 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Manchester, NH | Real change, Kansas City → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $69,905 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $84,579 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $101,375 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $120,548 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $142,452 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $73,380 | $64,272 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $162,090 | $141,972 (+13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $83,660 | $73,276 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $98,600 | $86,362 (+4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.