City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 5.6% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $105,600 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Atlanta, GA to Manchester, NH ($112,556 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,596 in Manchester | $94,701 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
52 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Manchester, NH | Real change, Atlanta → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $69,905 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $84,579 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $101,375 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $120,548 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $142,452 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $73,380 | $69,491 (−9.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $162,090 | $153,500 (+15.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $83,660 | $79,227 (−7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $98,600 | $93,375 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.