City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 14.7% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $114,700 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 $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Manchester, NH to Rockford, IL ($120,548 → $118,984), while prices change by −12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.2% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,220 in Rockford | $114,653 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/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; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Rockford, IL | Real change, Manchester → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $68,999 | +13.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $83,482 | +13.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,059 | +13.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $118,984 | +13.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $140,604 | +13.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $64,200 | $73,607 (+0.3%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $107,640 | $123,412 (−23.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $75,260 | $86,288 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $80,930 | $92,788 (−5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.