City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 15.9% higher than in Clarksville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Clarksville, TN would need about $115,900 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 $1,094 in Clarksville, TN. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 17% in Clarksville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Clarksville, TN to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.0% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much 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
| Clarksville, TN | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,915 in Portland | $86,270 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Clarksville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Clarksville, TN to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Portland, OR | Real change, Clarksville → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $82,330 | $71,026 (+18.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $156,000 | $134,582 (+39.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $92,200 | $79,541 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $130,310 | $112,419 (+41.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.