City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 9.2% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $109,200 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 $1,246 in Gainesville, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 19% in Gainesville, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in FL and $0 in NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Gainesville, FL to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,225 in Manchester | $91,554 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
42 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Gainesville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Manchester, NH | Real change, Gainesville → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $73,380 | $67,182 (+19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $162,090 | $148,400 (+20.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $83,660 | $76,594 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $98,600 | $90,272 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.