City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 15.4% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $115,400 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 $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Lincoln, NE to Manchester, NH ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (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
| Lincoln, NE | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,370 in Manchester | $86,678 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Manchester, NH | Real change, Lincoln → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $73,380 | $63,604 (+2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $162,090 | $140,496 (+38.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $83,660 | $72,515 (+11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $98,600 | $85,464 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.