City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 3.7% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $103,700 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Manchester, NH.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,548 in either. A transfer from Manchester, NH to Portland, ME changes real buying power by +3.7%, purely from prices.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,404 in Portland | $103,730 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
77 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Portland, ME | Real change, Manchester → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,905 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,579 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $101,375 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,548 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $142,452 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $76,770 | $79,633 (+8.5%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $128,710 | $133,510 (−17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $79,790 | $82,766 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $88,470 | $91,770 (−6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.