City comparison
Austin, TX vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 7.5% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $107,500 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,562 in Austin, TX. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Austin, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.8% moving from Austin, TX to Portland, OR ($109,428 → $114,684), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (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
| Austin, TX | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,500 in Portland | $93,023 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
42 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Austin, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Portland, OR | Real change, Austin → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $66,505 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $80,465 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $96,443 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $114,684 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $135,522 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $82,330 | $76,586 (+25.0%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $156,000 | $145,116 (+8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $92,200 | $85,767 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $130,310 | $121,219 (+23.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.