City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 19.5% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $119,500 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 $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,885 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Huntington, WV to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +19.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (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
| Huntington, WV | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,492 in Manchester | $83,688 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,885/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,885/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV 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 Huntington, WV to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Manchester, NH | Real change, Huntington → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $73,380 | $61,410 (+6.9%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $162,090 | $135,650 (+22.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $83,660 | $70,013 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $98,600 | $82,516 (+1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.