City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 8.8% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $108,800 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,001 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Portland, OR ($111,310 → $114,684), while prices change by +8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,752 in Portland | $91,952 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,001/yr.
39 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,001/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Portland, OR | Real change, Milwaukee → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $66,505 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $80,465 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $96,443 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $114,684 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $135,522 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $82,330 | $75,704 (+23.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $156,000 | $143,446 (+15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $92,200 | $84,780 (+5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $130,310 | $119,823 (+23.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.