City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 7.4% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $107,400 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,192 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Boise City, ID to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,385 in Manchester | $93,123 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,192/yr.
47 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,192/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Manchester, NH | Real change, Boise City → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $73,380 | $68,334 (+11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $162,090 | $150,943 (+14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $83,660 | $77,907 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $98,600 | $91,819 (−6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.