City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 3.1% higher than in Manchester, NH. Someone earning $100,000 in Manchester, NH would need about $103,100 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Manchester, NH to Washington, DC ($120,548 → $121,785), while prices change by +3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,054 in Washington | $97,036 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
48 Fair offer
Washington, DC → Manchester, NH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Washington, DC | Real change, Manchester → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $70,623 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $85,447 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $102,415 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $121,785 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $143,913 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $79,470 | $77,115 (+5.1%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $154,930 | $150,338 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $102,140 | $99,113 (+18.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $102,710 | $99,666 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.