City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 10.5% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $110,500 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Memphis, TN to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.5% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (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
| Memphis, TN | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,500 in Portland | $90,498 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
36 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Memphis, TN 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 Memphis, TN to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Portland, ME | Real change, Memphis → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $76,770 | $69,475 (+12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $128,710 | $116,479 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $79,790 | $72,208 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $88,470 | $80,063 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.