City comparison
Los Angeles, CA vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 7.5% higher than in Manchester, NH. Someone earning $100,000 in Manchester, NH would need about $107,500 in Los Angeles, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,085 a month in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Los Angeles, CA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.9% moving from Los Angeles, CA to Manchester, NH ($124,085 → $120,548), while prices change by −7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much 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
| Los Angeles, CA | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 113.6 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,036 in Manchester | $107,486 in Los Angeles |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,085/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 34% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,850 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Los Angeles | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 170.4 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 106.6 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 158.6 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 113.6 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Los Angeles, CA → Manchester, NH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
92 Strong offer
Manchester, NH → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
34 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Los Angeles, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Los Angeles, CA to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Los Angeles, CA | Manchester, NH | Real change, Los Angeles → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $69,905 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $84,579 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $101,375 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $120,548 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $142,452 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Los Angeles, CA | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Los Angeles dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $73,380 | $78,873 (−22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $160,920 | $162,090 | $174,223 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,360 | $83,660 | $89,922 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $135,560 | $98,600 | $105,981 (−21.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.