City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 8.5% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $108,500 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC and $1,552 in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Charlotte, NC to Manchester, NH ($108,810 → $120,548), while prices change by +8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Charlotte, NC | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,535 in Manchester | $92,136 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
44 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Manchester, NH | Real change, Charlotte → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,905 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $84,579 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $101,375 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $120,548 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $142,452 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $73,380 | $67,609 (+15.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $162,090 | $149,343 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $83,660 | $77,081 (−17.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $98,600 | $90,846 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.