City comparison
Portland, ME vs Visalia, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 2.0% higher than in Visalia, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Visalia, CA would need about $102,000 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 $1,123 in Visalia, CA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 18% in Visalia, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $584 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Visalia, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.3% moving from Portland, ME to Visalia, CA ($120,548 → $106,973), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.5% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- Visalia, CA: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Portland, ME | Visalia, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,004 in Visalia | $102,037 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $45,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Visalia, CA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Visalia, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Visalia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 84.1 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 156.4 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Visalia, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$584/yr.
75 Strong offer
Visalia, CA → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$584/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Visalia, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Visalia, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Visalia, CA | Real change, Portland → Visalia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,033 | −9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,055 | −9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,959 | −9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,973 | −9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $126,410 | −9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Visalia, CA | Visalia pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $98,430 | $100,435 (+30.8%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $126,170 | $128,740 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $79,400 | $81,017 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $125,180 | $127,729 (+44.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.