City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 9.0% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $109,000 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.7% moving from Manchester, NH to Milwaukee, WI ($120,548 → $111,310), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,747 in Milwaukee | $108,996 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
97 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Manchester → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,548 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $78,098 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,606 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,310 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,535 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $61,480 | $67,010 (−8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $123,730 | $134,860 (−16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $80,290 | $87,513 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $97,360 | $106,118 (+7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.