City comparison
Dayton, 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 9.9% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.2% moving from Dayton, OH to Portland, ME ($110,401 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: 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
| Dayton, OH | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,886 in Portland | $91,003 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 | 16% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
38 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Portland, ME | Real change, Dayton → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $69,905 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $84,579 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $101,375 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $120,548 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $142,452 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $76,770 | $69,863 (−13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $128,710 | $117,130 (+9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $79,790 | $72,611 (−8.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $88,470 | $80,510 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.