City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 14.0% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $114,000 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Utica, 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 Utica, NY ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,716 in Utica | $114,004 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $926/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% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $48,970 |
| 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 Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/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; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Utica, NY | Real change, Manchester → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $77,010 | $87,795 (+19.6%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $113,390 | $129,270 (−20.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $79,830 | $91,010 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $94,300 | $107,506 (+9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.