City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 15.0% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $115,000 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,155 in Birmingham, AL. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 19% in Birmingham, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,185 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Birmingham, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.7% moving from Birmingham, AL to Portland, OR ($107,510 → $114,684), while prices change by +15.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.3% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,033 in Portland | $86,931 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,185/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,185/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Portland, OR | Real change, Birmingham → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $66,505 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $80,465 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $96,443 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $114,684 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $135,522 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $82,330 | $71,571 (+14.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $156,000 | $135,613 (+8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $92,200 | $80,151 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $130,310 | $113,280 (+44.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.