City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 10.0% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $110,000 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Manchester, NH to Springfield, MA ($120,548 → $120,094), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.6% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,918 in Springfield | $109,989 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Springfield, MA | Real change, Manchester → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,642 | +9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,260 | +9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,992 | +9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,094 | +9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $141,915 | +9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $79,640 | $87,596 (+19.4%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $127,740 | $140,501 (−13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $92,010 | $101,201 (+21.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $98,410 | $108,241 (+9.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.