City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 10.5% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $110,500 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Portland, OR ($110,865 → $114,684), while prices change by +10.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.4% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,539 in Portland | $90,466 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Portland, OR | Real change, Cincinnati → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $66,505 | −6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $80,465 | −6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $96,443 | −6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $114,684 | −6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $135,522 | −6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $82,330 | $74,481 (+15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $156,000 | $141,127 (+16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $92,200 | $83,410 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $130,310 | $117,886 (+40.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.