City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Baltimore, MD (104.5) and Portland, OR (105.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Baltimore, MD goes as far as $100,900 in Portland, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,511 in Baltimore, MD. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Baltimore, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Baltimore, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.8% moving from Baltimore, MD to Portland, OR ($121,785 → $114,684), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,894 in Portland | $99,114 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
61 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Baltimore, MD
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Portland, OR | Real change, Baltimore → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $66,505 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $80,465 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $96,443 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $114,684 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $135,522 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $82,330 | $81,601 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $156,000 | $154,618 (+11.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $92,200 | $91,383 (+7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $130,310 | $129,155 (+29.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.