City comparison
Portland, ME vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 4.1% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $104,100 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $718 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Richmond, VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Portland, ME to Richmond, VA ($120,548 → $111,183), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,073 in Richmond | $104,088 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$718/yr.
82 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$718/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Richmond, VA | Real change, Portland → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,475 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $78,009 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,499 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,183 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,385 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $61,290 | $63,795 (−16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $132,120 | $137,520 (+6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $84,220 | $87,663 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $93,580 | $97,405 (+10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.