City comparison
Columbus, 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 6.7% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $106,700 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Columbus, OH to Portland, ME ($111,065 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,692 in Portland | $93,728 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
46 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Portland, ME | Real change, Columbus → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $69,905 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $84,579 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $101,375 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $120,548 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $142,452 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $76,770 | $71,955 (−7.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $128,710 | $120,637 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,790 | $74,785 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $88,470 | $82,921 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.