City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 5.1% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $105,100 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,921 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Portland, OR ($117,402 → $114,684), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,108 in Portland | $95,140 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,921/yr.
49 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Detroit, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,921/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Portland, OR | Real change, Detroit → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $66,505 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $80,465 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $96,443 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $114,684 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $135,522 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $82,330 | $78,329 (+20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $156,000 | $148,419 (+13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $92,200 | $87,719 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $130,310 | $123,978 (+27.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.