City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 10.4% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $110,400 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Manchester, NH to Syracuse, NY ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,616 in Syracuse | $110,356 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
39 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Manchester → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $122,340 | $108,270 | $119,482 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $129,100 | $142,470 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $82,230 | $90,746 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $86,960 | $95,966 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.