City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 15.0% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $115,000 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.8% moving from Manchester, NH to Omaha, NE ($120,548 → $107,501), while prices change by −13.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.5% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,990 in Omaha | $114,956 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
100 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Omaha, NE | Real change, Manchester → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,339 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,425 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,402 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $107,501 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $127,033 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $62,670 | $72,043 (−1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $125,220 | $143,948 (−11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $77,030 | $88,550 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $84,600 | $97,253 (−1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.