City comparison
Nashville, 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 5.7% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $105,700 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,578 in Nashville, TN. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Nashville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Nashville, TN to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.1% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,730 in Portland | $94,581 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/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 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
49 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Nashville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, 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 Nashville, TN to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Portland, ME | Real change, Nashville → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $76,770 | $72,610 (+18.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $128,710 | $121,735 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $79,790 | $75,466 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $88,470 | $83,676 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.