City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 9.9% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $109,900 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Portland, ME ($106,955 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.5% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,914 in Portland | $90,981 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
37 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Portland, ME | Real change, Corpus Christi → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $69,905 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $84,579 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $101,375 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $120,548 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $142,452 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $76,770 | $69,846 (+16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $128,710 | $117,101 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $79,790 | $72,593 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $88,470 | $80,491 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.