City comparison
Denver, CO vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 3.9% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $103,900 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,658 in Portland, ME. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 27% in Portland, ME.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,963 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Denver, CO to Portland, ME ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,290 in Portland | $103,852 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,963/yr.
78 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,963/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Portland, ME | Real change, Denver → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $76,770 | $79,728 (+3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $128,710 | $133,668 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $79,790 | $82,864 (−17.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $88,470 | $91,878 (−9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.