City comparison
Fayetteville, 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 14.9% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $114,900 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 $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Manchester, NH ($111,147 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.6% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (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
| Fayetteville, NC | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,872 in Manchester | $87,053 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/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 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Manchester, NH | Real change, Fayetteville → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $69,905 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $84,579 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $101,375 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $120,548 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $142,452 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $73,380 | $63,880 (+17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $162,090 | $141,105 (+14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $83,660 | $72,829 (−7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $98,600 | $85,835 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.