City comparison
Portland, ME vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 5.0% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $105,000 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $795 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Rochester, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.1% moving from Portland, ME to Rochester, NY ($120,548 → $107,182), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,265 in Rochester | $104,970 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$795/yr.
84 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$795/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Rochester, NY | Real change, Portland → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,155 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,202 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,135 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $107,182 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $126,657 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $62,840 | $65,963 (−14.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $122,770 | $128,872 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $80,890 | $84,911 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $86,570 | $90,873 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.