City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 12.9% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $112,900 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 $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Manchester, NH to Roanoke, VA ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,606 in Roanoke | $112,860 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $47,140 |
| 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 Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
100 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/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; Roanoke, VA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Manchester → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $62,010 | $69,984 (−4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $121,110 | $136,684 (−15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $77,240 | $87,173 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $80,090 | $90,389 (−8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.