City comparison
Memphis, TN vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 14.4% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $114,400 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Memphis, TN to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +14.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.8% in real buying power.
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
- 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
| Memphis, TN | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,366 in Portland | $87,439 in Memphis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,154/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,890 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Memphis | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.8 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 95.4 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Memphis, TN → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Memphis, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Memphis, TN to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Memphis, TN | Portland, OR | Real change, Memphis → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Memphis, TN | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Memphis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,510 | $82,330 | $71,988 (+17.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,580 | $156,000 | $136,405 (+8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,960 | $92,200 | $80,619 (+4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,500 | $130,310 | $113,942 (+39.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.