City comparison
Boston, MA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 2.7% higher than in Portland, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, OR would need about $102,700 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 $1,677 in Portland, OR. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 28% in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,140 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Boston, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.9% moving from Boston, MA to Portland, OR ($120,548 → $114,684), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,372 in Portland | $102,699 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,677/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Portland, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,140/yr.
72 Strong offer
Portland, OR → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$3,140/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Portland, OR | Real change, Boston → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $66,505 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $80,465 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $96,443 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $114,684 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $135,522 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $82,330 | $84,552 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $156,000 | $160,210 (−3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $92,200 | $94,688 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $130,310 | $133,827 (+26.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.