City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 1.7% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $101,700 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL and $1,658 in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $849 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Chicago, IL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Chicago, IL to Portland, ME ($118,984 → $120,548), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- 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
| Chicago, IL | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,323 in Portland | $101,705 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$849/yr.
71 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Chicago, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$849/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Portland, ME | Real change, Chicago → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $69,905 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $84,579 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $101,375 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $120,548 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $142,452 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $76,770 | $78,079 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $128,710 | $130,905 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $79,790 | $81,151 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $88,470 | $89,979 (−10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.