City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 14.7% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $114,700 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,250 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.7% moving from Omaha, NE to Portland, OR ($107,501 → $114,684), while prices change by +14.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.0% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much 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
| Omaha, NE | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,699 in Portland | $87,185 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,250/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,250/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Portland, OR | Real change, Omaha → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $66,505 | −7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $80,465 | −7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $96,443 | −7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $114,684 | −7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $135,522 | −7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $82,330 | $71,779 (+14.5%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $156,000 | $136,008 (+8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $92,200 | $80,384 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $130,310 | $113,610 (+34.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.