City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 14.0% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $114,000 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.2% moving from Dayton, OH to Manchester, NH ($110,401 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,985 in Manchester | $87,731 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Manchester, NH | Real change, Dayton → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $69,905 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $84,579 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $101,375 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $120,548 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $142,452 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $73,380 | $64,377 (−19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $162,090 | $142,203 (+33.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $83,660 | $73,396 (−7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $98,600 | $86,503 (+4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.