City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 9.0% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $109,000 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Tucson, AZ than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.0% moving from Manchester, NH to Tucson, AZ ($120,548 → $108,455), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,708 in Tucson | $109,042 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
97 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Manchester → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,893 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $76,095 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $91,205 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $108,455 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $128,162 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $47,220 | $51,489 (−29.8%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $123,710 | $134,895 (−16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $76,320 | $83,221 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $94,110 | $102,619 (+4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.