City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 15.2% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $115,200 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 $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.3% moving from Des Moines, IA to Manchester, NH ($107,301 → $120,548), while prices change by +15.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much 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
| Des Moines, IA | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,219 in Manchester | $86,791 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Manchester, NH | Real change, Des Moines → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $69,905 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $84,579 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $101,375 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $120,548 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $142,452 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $73,380 | $63,687 (+3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $162,090 | $140,680 (+11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $83,660 | $72,610 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $98,600 | $85,576 (+8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.