City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Minneapolis, MN (104.8) and Portland, OR (105.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Minneapolis, MN goes as far as $100,600 in Portland, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,644 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Minneapolis, MN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Portland, OR ($116,038 → $114,684), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,571 in Portland | $99,432 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,644/yr.
62 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,644/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Portland, OR | Real change, Minneapolis → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $66,505 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $80,465 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $96,443 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $114,684 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $135,522 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $82,330 | $81,862 (+2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $156,000 | $155,114 (+18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $92,200 | $91,676 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $130,310 | $129,570 (+25.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.