City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 3.5% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $103,500 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 $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,463 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Boise City, ID to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.4% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,524 in Portland | $96,596 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,463/yr.
55 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,463/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Portland, ME | Real change, Boise City → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $76,770 | $74,157 (+21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $128,710 | $124,329 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $79,790 | $77,074 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $88,470 | $85,459 (−12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.