City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Raleigh, NC
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 Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $107,600 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH and $1,596 in Raleigh, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Manchester, NH to Raleigh, NC ($120,548 → $111,147), while prices change by −7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: 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 | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,902 in Raleigh | $107,641 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
92 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/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; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Manchester → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,453 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,983 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,468 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,147 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,342 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $60,170 | $64,767 (−11.7%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $132,770 | $142,915 (−11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $81,950 | $88,212 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $84,830 | $91,312 (−7.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.