City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 8.3% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $108,300 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.4% moving from Charlotte, NC to Portland, OR ($108,810 → $114,684), while prices change by +8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,293 in Portland | $92,342 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
40 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Portland, OR | Real change, Charlotte → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $66,505 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $80,465 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $96,443 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $114,684 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $135,522 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $82,330 | $76,025 (+29.6%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $156,000 | $144,054 (+6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $92,200 | $85,139 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $130,310 | $120,331 (+32.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.