City comparison
Canton, OH vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 13.9% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $113,900 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 $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Canton, OH to Portland, ME ($111,138 → $120,548), while prices change by +13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (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
| Canton, OH | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,927 in Portland | $87,775 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Portland, ME | Real change, Canton → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,905 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $84,579 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $101,375 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $120,548 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $142,452 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $76,770 | $67,385 (−13.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $128,710 | $112,975 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $79,790 | $70,036 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $88,470 | $77,655 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.