City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 8.9% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $108,900 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.1% moving from Manchester, NH to Rochester, NY ($120,548 → $107,182), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,840 in Rochester | $108,885 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
97 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Rochester, NY | Real change, Manchester → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,155 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,202 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,135 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $107,182 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $126,657 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $62,840 | $68,424 (−6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $122,770 | $133,679 (−17.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $80,890 | $88,077 (+5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $86,570 | $94,262 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.