City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 1.9% higher than in Salem, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Salem, OR would need about $101,900 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 $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, 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 Salem, OR ($120,548 → $114,684), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.0% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,100 in Salem | $101,937 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,201/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $55,310 |
| 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 Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
75 Strong offer
Salem, OR → Manchester, NH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Salem, OR | Real change, Manchester → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $66,505 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $80,465 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $96,443 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $114,684 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $135,522 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $74,810 | $76,259 (+3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $131,620 | $134,170 (−17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $87,480 | $89,175 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $131,750 | $134,302 (+36.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.