City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 19.9% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $119,900 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 $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,735 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Manchester, NH to Mobile, AL ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,381 in Mobile | $119,931 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Mobile, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,735/yr.
100 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,735/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Mobile, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Mobile, AL | Real change, Manchester → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $60,970 | $73,122 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $122,540 | $146,964 (−9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $72,130 | $86,506 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $79,490 | $95,333 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.