City comparison
Albany, NY vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 6.1% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $106,100 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,417 in Albany, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 23% in Albany, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.8% moving from Albany, NY to Manchester, NH ($109,810 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,118 in Manchester | $94,235 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
51 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Manchester, NH | Real change, Albany → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $69,905 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $84,579 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $101,375 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $120,548 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $142,452 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $73,380 | $69,150 (−12.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $162,090 | $152,746 (+19.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $83,660 | $78,837 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $98,600 | $92,916 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.