City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 4.9% higher than in Colorado Springs, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO would need about $104,900 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,464 in Colorado Springs, CO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 23% in Colorado Springs, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Colorado Springs, CO than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Manchester, NH ($109,246 → $120,548), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,915 in Manchester | $95,315 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/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 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
54 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Manchester, NH | Real change, Colorado Springs → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $69,905 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $84,579 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $101,375 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $120,548 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $142,452 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $73,380 | $69,942 (+14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $162,090 | $154,496 (+15.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $83,660 | $79,741 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $98,600 | $93,981 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.