City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fresno, CA (102.2) and Portland, ME (101.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fresno, CA goes as far as $99,700 in Portland, ME.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Fresno, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Fresno, CA to Portland, ME ($106,973 → $120,548), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.0% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,706 in Portland | $100,295 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$584/yr.
67 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$584/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Portland, ME | Real change, Fresno → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $69,905 | +13.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $84,579 | +13.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $101,375 | +13.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $120,548 | +13.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $142,452 | +13.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $76,770 | $76,996 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $128,710 | $129,089 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $79,790 | $80,025 (+1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $88,470 | $88,731 (−29.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.