City comparison
Boston, MA vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 6.6% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $106,600 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,140 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Boston, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Boston, MA to Eugene, OR ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.9% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,813 in Eugene | $106,595 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Eugene, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,140/yr.
89 Strong offer
Eugene, OR → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$3,140/yr.
27 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Eugene, OR | Real change, Boston → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $64,260 | $68,498 (−30.1%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $121,050 | $129,033 (−22.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $79,930 | $85,201 (−14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $113,720 | $121,219 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.