City comparison
Cincinnati, 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 6.8% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $106,800 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.7% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Portland, ME ($110,865 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,803 in Portland | $93,630 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/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 | 16% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
46 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Portland, ME | Real change, Cincinnati → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $69,905 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $84,579 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $101,375 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $120,548 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $142,452 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $76,770 | $71,880 (+11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $128,710 | $120,512 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $79,790 | $74,708 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $88,470 | $82,835 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.