City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Manchester, NH (105.7) and Portland, OR (105.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Manchester, NH goes as far as $99,800 in Portland, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.9% moving from Manchester, NH to Portland, OR ($120,548 → $114,684), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.7% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,777 in Portland | $100,224 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
65 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Manchester, NH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Portland, OR | Real change, Manchester → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $66,505 | −4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $80,465 | −4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $96,443 | −4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $114,684 | −4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $135,522 | −4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $82,330 | $82,514 (+12.4%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $156,000 | $156,349 (−3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $92,200 | $92,406 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $130,310 | $130,602 (+32.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.