City comparison
Fort Collins, 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 4.5% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $104,500 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,552 in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Fort Collins, CO than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Manchester, NH ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (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
| Fort Collins, CO | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,478 in Manchester | $95,713 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/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 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
55 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Manchester, NH | Real change, Fort Collins → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $73,380 | $70,235 (+11.6%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $162,090 | $155,142 (+15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $83,660 | $80,074 (−10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $98,600 | $94,373 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.