City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 5.2% higher than in Manchester, NH. Someone earning $100,000 in Manchester, NH would need about $105,200 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in NH and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Manchester, NH to Seattle, WA ($120,548 → $119,630), while prices change by +5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.7% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,183 in Seattle | $95,073 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
42 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Manchester, NH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Seattle, WA | Real change, Manchester → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,373 | −5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $83,935 | −5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,602 | −5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $119,630 | −5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $141,367 | −5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $102,920 | $97,849 (+33.3%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $167,280 | $159,037 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $99,370 | $94,474 (+12.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $128,260 | $121,940 (+23.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.