City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 4.7% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $104,700 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 $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.7% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Manchester, NH ($117,402 → $120,548), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,735 in Manchester | $95,479 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
55 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Manchester, NH | Real change, Ann Arbor → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,905 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,579 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $101,375 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,548 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $142,452 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $73,380 | $70,062 (+9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $162,090 | $154,762 (+22.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $83,660 | $79,878 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $98,600 | $94,142 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.