City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 10.4% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $110,400 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 $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.2% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Manchester, NH ($107,428 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (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
| Indianapolis, IN | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,409 in Manchester | $90,572 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
39 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Manchester, NH | Real change, Indianapolis → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $69,905 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $84,579 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $101,375 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $120,548 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $142,452 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $73,380 | $66,462 (+9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $162,090 | $146,809 (+37.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $83,660 | $75,773 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $98,600 | $89,304 (+6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.