City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 11.6% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $111,600 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Manchester, NH to Pittsburgh, PA ($120,548 → $110,047), while prices change by −10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,602 in Pittsburgh | $111,604 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,077/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/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; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Manchester → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $63,815 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,211 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $92,543 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $110,047 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $130,042 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $76,550 | $85,433 (+16.4%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $124,500 | $138,947 (−14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $76,940 | $85,868 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $82,370 | $91,929 (−6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.