City comparison
Portland, ME vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 3.5% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $103,500 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,658 a month in Portland, ME and $1,677 in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,266 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Portland, ME.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.9% moving from Portland, ME to Portland, OR ($120,548 → $114,684), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.1% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- 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
| Portland, ME | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,498 in Portland | $96,620 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,266/yr.
53 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$2,266/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Portland, OR | Real change, Portland → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $66,505 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $80,465 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $96,443 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $114,684 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $135,522 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $82,330 | $79,547 (+3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $156,000 | $150,728 (+17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $92,200 | $89,084 (+11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $130,310 | $125,906 (+42.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.