City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Manchester, NH (105.7) and Minneapolis, MN (104.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Manchester, NH goes as far as $99,200 in Minneapolis, MN.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,277 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Manchester, NH to Minneapolis, MN ($120,548 → $116,038), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.0% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,210 in Minneapolis | $100,797 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$5,277/yr.
71 Strong offer
Minneapolis, MN → Manchester, NH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,277/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Manchester → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $67,290 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $81,415 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $97,582 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $116,038 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $137,123 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $79,730 | $80,365 (+9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $130,920 | $131,963 (−18.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $86,500 | $87,189 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $103,040 | $103,861 (+5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.