City comparison
Durham, NC vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 4.4% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $104,400 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 $1,507 in Durham, NC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,173 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Durham, NC to Portland, ME ($111,147 → $120,548), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,393 in Portland | $95,792 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,173/yr.
53 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,173/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Portland, ME | Real change, Durham → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $69,905 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $84,579 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $101,375 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $120,548 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $142,452 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $76,770 | $73,540 (+43.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $128,710 | $123,294 (−9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $79,790 | $76,433 (−10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $88,470 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.