City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 5.7% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $105,700 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 $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Allentown, PA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Allentown, PA to Manchester, NH ($125,431 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (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
| Allentown, PA | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,691 in Manchester | $94,616 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
52 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Manchester, NH | Real change, Allentown → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,905 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $84,579 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $101,375 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $120,548 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $142,452 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $73,380 | $69,429 (−12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $162,090 | $153,362 (+24.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $83,660 | $79,155 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $98,600 | $93,291 (−8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.