City comparison
Portland, ME vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 1.5% higher than in Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA would need about $101,500 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 $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.2% moving from Portland, ME to Spokane, WA ($120,548 → $106,991), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.9% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,516 in Spokane | $101,507 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Spokane, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
73 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Spokane, WA | Real change, Portland → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,044 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,068 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,974 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,991 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $126,432 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $98,800 | $100,289 (+30.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $130,690 | $132,659 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $86,350 | $87,651 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $111,750 | $113,434 (+28.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.