City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Boulder, CO (105.2) and Manchester, NH (105.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Boulder, CO goes as far as $100,400 in Manchester, NH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Manchester, NH ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,433 in Manchester | $99,569 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Manchester, NH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
67 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Manchester, NH | Real change, Boulder → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $73,380 | $73,064 (−9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $162,090 | $161,392 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $83,660 | $83,300 (−16.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $98,600 | $98,175 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.