City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 2.9% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $102,900 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $378 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Minneapolis, MN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.9% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Portland, ME ($116,038 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,172 in Portland | $102,910 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$378/yr.
75 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$378/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Portland, ME | Real change, Minneapolis → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $69,905 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $84,579 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $101,375 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $120,548 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $142,452 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $76,770 | $79,004 (−0.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $128,710 | $132,455 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $79,790 | $82,112 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $88,470 | $91,044 (−11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.