City comparison
Madison, WI vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 8.6% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $108,600 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,482 a month in Madison, WI and $1,552 in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Madison, WI to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,603 in Manchester | $92,078 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
44 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Manchester, NH | Real change, Madison → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $73,380 | $67,567 (+6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $162,090 | $149,249 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $83,660 | $77,033 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $98,600 | $90,789 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.