City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Manchester, NH (105.7) and Riverside, CA (106.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Manchester, NH goes as far as $100,700 in Riverside, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,552 in Manchester, NH. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 24% in Manchester, NH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.9% moving from Manchester, NH to Riverside, CA ($120,548 → $124,085), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.2% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,743 in Riverside | $99,263 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Riverside, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
61 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Manchester, NH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Riverside, CA | Real change, Manchester → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $71,957 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $87,061 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $104,349 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $124,085 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $146,632 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $98,520 | $97,793 (+33.3%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $133,270 | $132,287 (−18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $83,920 | $83,301 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $133,940 | $132,952 (+34.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.