City comparison
Portland, ME vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 16.1% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $116,100 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $919 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.8% moving from Portland, ME to Tuscaloosa, AL ($120,548 → $107,510), while prices change by −13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,122 in Tuscaloosa | $116,115 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$919/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$919/yr.
34 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Portland → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,344 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,431 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,410 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $107,510 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $127,044 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $60,220 | $69,924 (−8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $104,870 | $121,769 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $71,690 | $83,243 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $75,250 | $87,376 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.