City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 2.8% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $102,800 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Manchester, NH ($120,094 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- 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
| Hartford, CT | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,833 in Manchester | $97,245 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
60 Fair offer
Manchester, NH → Hartford, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Manchester, NH | Real change, Hartford → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,905 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $84,579 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $101,375 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $120,548 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $142,452 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $73,380 | $71,358 (−10.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $162,090 | $157,624 (+18.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $83,660 | $81,355 (−15.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $98,600 | $95,883 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.