City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 3.0% higher than in Philadelphia, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA would need about $103,000 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH and $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Manchester, NH to Philadelphia, PA ($120,548 → $117,284), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,063 in Philadelphia | $103,026 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
78 Strong offer
Philadelphia, PA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Manchester → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $68,013 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $82,289 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $98,630 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $117,284 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $138,595 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $78,570 | $80,947 (+10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $133,040 | $137,065 (−15.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $85,990 | $88,592 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $101,180 | $104,241 (+5.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.