City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.4% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $105,400 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA and $1,677 in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,353 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Atlanta, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Atlanta, GA to Portland, OR ($112,556 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,360 in Portland | $94,913 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,353/yr.
48 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Atlanta, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$3,353/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Portland, OR | Real change, Atlanta → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $66,505 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $80,465 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $96,443 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $114,684 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $135,522 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $82,330 | $78,142 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $156,000 | $148,064 (+11.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $92,200 | $87,510 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $130,310 | $123,681 (+23.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.