City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 7.6% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $107,600 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 $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Manchester, NH to Provo, UT ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,973 in Provo | $107,559 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
92 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Provo, UT | Real change, Manchester → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $62,930 | $67,687 (−7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $131,210 | $141,128 (−12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $75,700 | $81,422 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $81,780 | $87,961 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.