City comparison
Austin, TX vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 3.9% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $103,900 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,562 in Austin, TX. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Austin, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Austin, TX to Portland, ME ($109,428 → $120,548), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.1% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,867 in Portland | $96,277 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
54 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Austin, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Portland, ME | Real change, Austin → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $69,905 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $84,579 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $101,375 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $120,548 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $142,452 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $76,770 | $73,912 (+20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $128,710 | $123,918 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $79,790 | $76,820 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $88,470 | $85,176 (−13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.