City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 10.0% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $110,000 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 $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,734 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (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
| Fort Wayne, IN | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,031 in Portland | $90,883 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,734/yr.
37 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,734/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Wayne, IN to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Portland, ME | Real change, Fort Wayne → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $76,770 | $69,771 (+16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $128,710 | $116,976 (+15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $79,790 | $72,516 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $88,470 | $80,405 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.