City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 1.6% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $101,600 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 $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,655 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.7% moving from Detroit, MI to Portland, ME ($117,402 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,555 in Portland | $98,468 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,655/yr.
61 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Detroit, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,655/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Portland, ME | Real change, Detroit → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,905 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,579 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $101,375 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,548 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $142,452 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $76,770 | $75,594 (+15.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $128,710 | $126,739 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $79,790 | $78,568 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $88,470 | $87,115 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.