City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 11.1% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $111,100 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,155 in Birmingham, AL. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 19% in Birmingham, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $919 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Birmingham, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Birmingham, AL to Portland, ME ($107,510 → $120,548), while prices change by +11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,145 in Portland | $89,972 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$919/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$919/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Portland, ME | Real change, Birmingham → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $69,905 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $84,579 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $101,375 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $120,548 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $142,452 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $76,770 | $69,072 (+10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $128,710 | $115,803 (−7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $79,790 | $71,789 (−8.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $88,470 | $79,599 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.