City comparison
Dallas, TX vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 2.3% higher than in Dallas, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Dallas, TX would need about $102,300 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX and $1,677 in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.9% moving from Dallas, TX to Portland, OR ($115,711 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
- 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
| Dallas, TX | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.1 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,261 in Portland | $97,789 in Dallas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,648/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dallas | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 102.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 103.1 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dallas, TX → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
57 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Dallas, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dallas, TX is in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dallas, TX to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dallas, TX | Portland, OR | Real change, Dallas → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,100 | $66,505 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,186 | $80,465 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,307 | $96,443 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $115,711 | $114,684 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $136,736 | $135,522 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dallas, TX | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Dallas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,070 | $82,330 | $80,510 (+23.7%) |
| Software Developers | $133,290 | $156,000 | $152,551 (+14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,620 | $92,200 | $90,161 (+9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,420 | $130,310 | $127,429 (+25.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.